Château Pichon Baron 2016

Restrained yet very promising aromatics, flowers and berries; fresh right from the attack, slow, fruity development, superb fine-grained tannins, great length; pure fruit, elegance and breed.

This gushes with dark fig and black currant compote flavors backed by lively sweet tobacco and singed alder edges. Very fleshy in feel, though there's ample grip to keep this red grounded, echoing with tar and humus accents through the finish. A thumper. Best from 2025 through 2040. 13,500 cases made.

Pichon Baron 2016 is a riveting, classy wine, richly aromatic and expressive from the start with a complex bouquet of black cherry, liquorice, graphite, menthol and subtle spices. The palate combines fleshy texture and linearity. The fine-grained tannins have the laser-like precision that Christian Seely likes so much, and contribute to the overall impression of crystalline purity so conducive to the terroir expression of this benchmark wine destined to reach new heights over the next 20 to 30 years. Magnificent wine.

The concentration and largesse of the 2016 Pichon Baron is apparent from the get-go with incredibly alluring, ripe and expansive fruit aromas in the blackberry, dark-cherry, mulberry and plum zone. Espresso and cedar, as well as a slate-like, stony mineral edge add complexity. The palate has incredible depth, drive and detail. Fine and plush tannins stretch the palate in every direction. So fresh and vivacious, this is the greatest Pichon Baron since 1989 and has a long future. Try from 2024.

The 2016 Pichon Baron is outstanding, powerful on the nose with blackberry, mocha and just a hint of dark chocolate that emerges after an hour. The palate is weighty in the mouth but delivers real elegance, graphite-tinged black fruit fanning out gloriously on the finish. It is probably three years away from when I would advise opening bottles.

With a tannic, racy edge to all the fresh, ripe, sweet, fleshy currants on the palate, the wine kicks off with espresso, tobacco leaf, currants, black cherries, cigar box, underbrush, red fruits, and chalk. Simply put, this is fabulous! The tannins are perfectly ripe giving you the structure to show off all the layers of supple, textured, fresh, pure, racy fruits. The seamless finish grabs your palate and keeps it. This is in contention as the finest vintage of Pichon Baron produced by Jean Rene Matignon. Drink from 2022-2060.

Dark ruby with an opaque core, brightening at the rim. Intense dark berry fruit character with blackberry and dark cherry, along with touches of chocolate and fresh orange zest, and some mocha through to the very long finish. A powerful and textured wine, with good fruit, vivid tannins, and fine structure. Possessing great ageing potential, it is clearly a Vin de Garde.

Nuanced nose, fine layers of new wood, mocha, ripe dark fruit like blackcurrant, cherry, sage and tobacco. The palate is dense and concentrated with fine proportions, still youthful but with ripe tannin, ample dark fruit, finely underlined wood and a long, muscular finish.

The 2016 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is a beauty and is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Tasting like a hypothetical mix of the 2009 and 2010, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful yet sensationally pure bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberries, lead pencil shavings, and graphite, and is just about as quintessentially Pauillac as it gets. Full-bodied, fleshy and even a touch flamboyant, it has sweet tannins and a monster texture that coats the palate. Count me in as a huge fan. This fabulous wine will be relatively approachable in just 3-5 years but will age for 30 years or more.

An exceptional vintage where the Cabernet expression at five years old is dominant — savoury and sculpted cassis bud, bilberry and blueberry fruit alongside waves of rosebud and violet. The tannins are concentrated and still austere, but this is a great Pichon Baron, with liquorice, slate, pencil lead, waves of flavour resonating through the palate. Just a brilliant reflection of a vintage and a terroir. 80% new oak.

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, the 2016 Pichon Baron is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of swirling to uncover notes of blackcurrant cordial, chocolate-covered cherries, and boysenberry preserves, plus suggestions of cedar chest, tapenade, and clove oil, with a touch of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with energy, featuring layers of black fruits and minerals, supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and earthy. This is so beautifully pure and intense.

A great deal of character on the palate, in contrast with the nose’s temporary austerity. A powerful, racy whole that makes no concessions to trends and is clearly meant for long ageing.

Even if it has closed up slightly, the 2016 remains monumental. A structured, energetic and powerful wine, yet also very refined. Its dazzling finish carries it through to a very long length.

Nose of dark fruits and cherry. Generous, indulgent palate, with very elegant fine tannins, a hint of graphite, and a very long finish.

Soon to be 10 years old, the 2016 clearly underscores its youth and origins. The “

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Superb, complex, and deep nose, truffled and noble, with plenty of fruit. Precise on the attack, subtle as it unfolds, very aromatic, then melting, then rich, then complex—the wine develops with great sophistication in both aromas and texture and stretches into a very, very long finish with a very fine grain. Remarkable.