Producer Article
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Last edited on 12/20/2013 by AndrewSGHall
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Background: Pichon Longueville Baron stretches out on beautiful land with soil made of gravels from la Garonne river in the south of the appellation, on a plateau that serves as a transition between the commune of Pauillac and Saint-Julien. Planted with vines since the late seventeenth century, it became almost immediately famous. Produced by Jacques de Pichon Baron de Longueville, the wines of Pichon Baron were challenging the quality of those of Latour in the early eighteenth century. Promoted Second Cru Classé in 1855, the estate is divided for the inheritance, and the wines are vinified separately since 1860: Raoul, only surviving son of the Baron Joseph, takes the helm of the current Pichon Longueville Baron, often called "Pichon Baron," while his daughter Virginia, wife of Comte de Lalande, receives the other portion of the property, hence the name of her part : Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The chateau, inspired by the Chateau of Azay le Rideau, was built in 1851 by Raoul. The estate remained the ownership of the Pichon family until 1933, when it was sold to the Bouteiller family. It was then managed by their descendants for the following fifty years, and when Axa acquired it in 1987, it was more similar to a sleeping beauty. The management was entrusted to Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of Lynch-Bages in Pauillac. A major program of renovation of the cellars and technical facilities of Pichon-Longueville was then undertaken. Cabernet Sauvignon reigns indisputably in the vineyard of Pichon Baron, carefully maintained by the team of Jean-Rene Matignon, technical director of the area.
Vineyard: The 73 hectare vineyards of Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is planted to a vine density is 9,000 vines per hectare using a double Guyot training. The average age of the vines is 30 years. However, the estate has old vines. The oldest vines date all the way back the 1930′s. While the vineyard occupies 73 hectares of vines, the grapes used for Pichon Baron come from the 40 best hectares in the vineyard. The vineyards are situated at the southern end of Pauillac, across the street from Pichon Lalande, not far from Chateau Latour and close to the St.Julien border.
Vinification: The fruit is macerated for 20 to 30 days and fermented at 28 to 32 degrees Celsius in 40 temperature controlled, stainless steel vats of varying sizes. The vats range in size from 64 hectoliters all the way up to 220 hectoliters. The size of each fermentation vat corresponds to the specific size and needs of each parcel, allowing for very precise wine making on a plot by plot basis. This allows for not only parcel by parcel selection, but by grape variety as well. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wine is aged in an average of 80% new, French oak barrels for 18 months. Production averages 18,000 cases per year.
Background: Pichon Longueville Baron stretches out on beautiful land with soil made of gravels from la Garonne river in the south of the appellation, on a plateau that serves as a transition between the commune of Pauillac and Saint-Julien. Planted with vines since the late seventeenth century, it became almost immediately famous. Produced by Jacques de Pichon Baron de Longueville, the wines of Pichon Baron were challenging the quality of those of Latour in the early eighteenth century. Promoted Second Cru Classé in 1855, the estate is divided for the inheritance, and the wines are vinified separately since 1860: Raoul, only surviving son of the Baron Joseph, takes the helm of the current Pichon Longueville Baron, often called "Pichon Baron," while his daughter Virginia, wife of Comte de Lalande, receives the other portion of the property, hence the name of her part : Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The chateau, inspired by the Chateau of Azay le Rideau, was built in 1851 by Raoul. The estate remained the ownership of the Pichon family until 1933, when it was sold to the Bouteiller family. It was then managed by their descendants for the following fifty years, and when Axa acquired it in 1987, it was more similar to a sleeping beauty. The management was entrusted to Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of Lynch-Bages in Pauillac. A major program of renovation of the cellars and technical facilities of Pichon-Longueville was then undertaken. Cabernet Sauvignon reigns indisputably in the vineyard of Pichon Baron, carefully maintained by the team of Jean-Rene Matignon, technical director of the area.
Vineyard: The 73 hectare vineyards of Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is planted to a vine density is 9,000 vines per hectare using a double Guyot training. The average age of the vines is 30 years. However, the estate has old vines. The oldest vines date all the way back the 1930′s. While the vineyard occupies 73 hectares of vines, the grapes used for Pichon Baron come from the 40 best hectares in the vineyard. The vineyards are situated at the southern end of Pauillac, across the street from Pichon Lalande, not far from Chateau Latour and close to the St.Julien border.
Vinification: The fruit is macerated for 20 to 30 days and fermented at 28 to 32 degrees Celsius in 40 temperature controlled, stainless steel vats of varying sizes. The vats range in size from 64 hectoliters all the way up to 220 hectoliters. The size of each fermentation vat corresponds to the specific size and needs of each parcel, allowing for very precise wine making on a plot by plot basis. This allows for not only parcel by parcel selection, but by grape variety as well. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wine is aged in an average of 80% new, French oak barrels for 18 months. Production averages 18,000 cases per year.