2022 Château Pichon Longueville Baron

Robert Parker - 98

Aromas of sweet dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and licorice introduce the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep, dense and lively, with terrific concentration, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Integrated and serious, this hints at the lavishness inherent to the vintage, while remaining classic and controlled. This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot.

James Suckling - 98

What a nose with complex aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, graphite and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, this has layers of tannins and intense richness but is framed and held together by the phenolic structure. Vertical and deep, it goes on for minutes on the palate. Great finish. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot.

Jeb Dunnuck - 98

The 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is young and unevolved, with a barrel sample-like feel, offering cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and incredible purity. Powerful and structured, it has remarkable depth, rock-solid concentration, and seamless integrated structure and tannins. Based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot . This classically styled, inward Pauillac is one of the most promising wines of the vintage.

Decanter - 97

Beautiful fragrance, lots of fresh and ripe black and red bramble fruit - so alive and expressive on the nose with liquorice, wet stones and cedar spicing. Smooth, ample and full in the mouth, but not overly textured or plush. There’s a real refinement to the tannic structure, clearly giving the frame to the wine but detailed and precise with edges of liquorice, slate, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco. It balances richness, intensity and concentration with sleekness, bright acidity and a real charm to the juicy fruit. Rich and tense, just giving a hint of it’s potential, clearly powerful but totally seductive too. A sublime wine in the making. Ageing 18 months in French oak, 70% new, 600% one wine.br>Barrel Sample: 97

Wine Spectator - 97

This towering red offers a remarkable combination of freshness and weight. The well-endowed core of cassis, plum and black cherry puree shows polish and brightness, and a sleek iron note keeps this grounded. That background is laced with rose petal, iris and apple wood, while a subtle savory twinge percolates throughout in a way that only a classic Bordeaux can accomplish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Vinous - 97

The 2022 Pichon Baron was a knockout in barrel, though what matters is how it shows in bottle. This has retained the precision that I discerned previously: delineated scents of blackberry, bilberry and sea spray, just a light melted tar note percolating through with time. So Pauillac! The palate is medium-bodied with a core of sapid black fruit, white pepper and a patina of pencil lead. Perhaps this is a little tight after bottling as you would expect, yet there is linearity and grace about this Pauillac that is enthralling.