Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (or Château Longueville au Baron de Pichon-Longueville), commonly referred to as “Pichon Baron” is an estate situated in the appellation Pauillac on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux area.
It was until 1850 part of the larger Pichon estate which was founded in 1661 by Pierre de Mazures de Rauzan. In 1684, as part of the dowry, Jean-François de Pichon, baron de Longueville became the new proprietor. In 1850 the château was split: 40% became Château Pichon Longueville au Baron de Pichon Longueville and 60% became Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.
In 1851, Baron Raoul Pichon de Longueville commisioned to build the imposing château, with its two characteristic turrets. In 1855, Château Pichon-Longueville Baron was classified as a “Deuxième Grand Cru Classé” (2nd Growth) in the original Bordeaux classification.
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron was purchased in 1987 by the French insurance company AXA and the current managing director is Christian Seely (since 2001). The estate comprises 73 Ha of vines, planted on a gravelly soil with an average age of the vines of 30 years. The wines are kept in partly new French oak barrels for 18 – 20 months before bottling.
The second wine is named after the turrets of the château: “Les Tourelles de Longueville”. The château also produces “Les Griffons de Pichon Baron” from vines planted near the Gironde estuary. The wines are noticed for their longevity and are capable to last for more than 20 years.
Top vintages for Pichon Baron are: 1900, 1953, 1955, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016.
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