Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac 2020

About This Wine

The 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is a commanding expression of Pauillac and one of the standout releases from this historic Second Growth. Built from 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, the Grand Vin comes from the estate’s oldest vines on its prized historic parcels, delivering the combination of power, precision and aristocratic structure that has long distinguished Pichon Baron. 

The vintage carries serious critical weight, earning 99 points from James Suckling, 98 points from Vinous, Decanter, Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Enthusiast, and 97 points from both Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. It was also ranked #8 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2023—an impressive distinction for a Bordeaux with decades of evolution still ahead of it. 

In the glass, this is unmistakably Pauillac: concentrated blackcurrant and dark berry fruit are layered with graphite, cedar, crushed stone, violet, tobacco and spice. The palate is deep and impeccably composed, with silky yet authoritative tannins surrounding a concentrated core of fruit. What separates the 2020 from merely powerful Bordeaux is its tension and freshness; there is considerable density here, but also remarkable focus, mineral drive and length. The château describes the finish as long, fruit-driven and peppery, while Wine Advocate noted how the vintage combines the fruit intensity of a warm year with the energy more typically associated with a cooler season. 

This is a bottle for collectors who want Bordeaux pedigree without having to step all the way into First Growth territory. Pichon Baron has produced a wine with the structure to evolve for several decades, yet the quality of the fruit and polish of the tannins already make its potential unmistakable. For anyone building a serious Bordeaux cellar, the 2020 is exactly the kind of vintage worth putting away now and revisiting years from today.

Score

99  points, James Suckling.