Friday, February 3, 2017

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Picture: Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron in Pauillac

Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron in Pauillac is one of the most stunning estates in Bordeaux. It is currently owned by the insurance company AXA Millésimes.

We had a gorgeous wine lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron. This was preceeded by a vineyard and winery tour and a tasting. This posting covers the first part of the visit: The tour and tasting. A separate posting will cover the lunch.

Nicolas Santier, responsable du développement réceptif et tourisme, was our host. At the beginning of the tour, we were welcomed by Jean-Rene Matignon, Technical Director.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac

Pictures: Welcome - Jean-Rene Matignon, Technical Director

Château Pichon Longueville Baron

Château Pichon Longueville Baron (often referred to as Pichon Baron) in Pauillac is one of 15 Deuxièmes Crus in the Classification of 1855. It was once part of a larger estate, owned by Pierre de Rauzan, along with Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 the estate was divided into the two current Pichon estates facing each other as one enters Pauillac along the D2 highway.

Château Pichon-Baron stayed in the de Pichon-Longueville family until 1933 when the last surviving family member sold it to Jean Bouteiller, member of a family well-known in the Bordeaux wine scene. His heirs did not manage to keep the quality of the wines and in 1987 the estate was bought by AXA Millésimes. With the new owner, reconstruction of the fermenting room and cellars, and renovation of the château itself, began in 1988.

Pictures: In the Cellar of Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac

Excellent terroir across from the 1st growth Latour property, stretching south bordering the Léoville estates in Saint-Julien gives the wines elegance, balance, and finesse. Château Pichon Baron's 73 hectares are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (35%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%). The average age of the vines is 30 years.

Grapes are harvested and sorted by hand, and then macerated for 20-30 days, and fermented at 28-32 °C in temperature controlled stainless steel vats of varying sizes. The wine is transferred into oak barrels for aging after finishing its malolactic fermentation.

The estate also produces a second wine, Les Tourelles de Longueville.

The property is currently managed by Christian Seely.

The AXA Wine Portfolio

Château Pichon Baron, 2nd Cru Classé Pauillac, France
Château Suduiraut, 1er Cru Classé Sauternes, France
Château Petit-Village, Pomerol, France
Château Pibran, Pauillac, France
Domaine de l’Arlot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, France
Domaine Disznókö, Tokaj, Hongrie
Quinta do Noval, Douro, Portugal
AXA also owns one of the larger Bordeaux wine negociant companies, Compagnie Medocaine.

Tasting

We tasted 5 vintages: 2015 (from barrel) and 2012 - 2009 (from barrel). I have put the wine searcher average prices in US$ in brackets.

Pictures: Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac

2015 Château Pichon Longueville-Baron US$127
2012 Château Pichon Longueville-Baron US$106
2011 Château Pichon Longueville-Baron US$112

2010 Château Pichon Longueville-Baron US$222
2009 Château Pichon Longueville-Baron US$183

Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Following the tour and tasting, we walked over to the chateau for lunch. I will report about it in a separate posting.

Pictures: Walking over for Lunch

Bye-bye

Thanks to Nicolas Santier and Jean-Rene Matignon for the tour and the outstandng tasting. It was wonderful.

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Jean-René Matignon, Technical Director of Château Pichon Longueville Baron, at Ripple in Washington DC. See: Winemaker Dinner with Jean-René Matignon (Château Pichon Longueville Baron) and Pierre Montégut (Château Suduiraut) at Ripple in Washington DC, USA/France

Pictures: See: Vertical Tasting of Château Pichon-Longueville Baron with Jean-Rene Matignon and Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Vertical Tasting of Château Pichon-Longueville Baron with Jean-Rene Matignon and Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA

Tour, Tasting and Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Winemaker Dinner with Jean-René Matignon (Château Pichon Longueville Baron) and Pierre Montégut (Château Suduiraut) at Ripple in Washington DC, USA/France

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France (Posted and Forthcoming):

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux – A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dining and Wining on Boulevard Montparnasse in Paris: La Rotonde, Le Dôme and La Coupole, France – Pre-Bordeaux Wine Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting from Barrel at Domaine de Chevalier, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Adrien Bernard - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update

Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

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Tour and Tasting at Château Beauregard, Appellation Pomerol – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour with Dany Rolland: Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012 - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

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Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darroze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Château de Chantegrive, Appellation Grave, with Owner Marie-Hélène Lévêque - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit and Tasting: Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Lunch at the Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Restaurant La Grand’ Vigne (Chef: Nicolas Masse, 2 Stars Michelin) - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit of La Cité du Vin - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

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The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tour and Tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Michel Tesseron

At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch were the Locals eat: At Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe in Saint Estephe

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Anne Cuvelier

Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Picnic Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Daina Paulin  

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