Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron Pauillac 2013

The cooler year imparts a freshness not always prominent in warmer vintages, permitting the varietal expressions to dance with an agility across the palate. It steers clear of overt opulence, favoring instead a restrained elegance, marked by cedar notes that play well with cassis and pencil lead shavings—a nod to the traditional Pauillac profile inherent to wines from Château Pichon Baron.

For investors, the 2013 Pichon Baron emerges as one to watch; it represents not just a survivor of a tough year, but a testament to the resilience that can create subdued unexpected marvels within a portfolio. This is not merely a triumph over adversity, but rather an astute embodiment of grace under pressure.

Although still youthful under its well-structured cloak, those who decant will find it unfurls to reveal something quite beguiling. It becomes less about extolling singular vintages and more about recognizing when astute craftsmanship elevates wine to fine art—an undeniable allure for both collectors and connoisseurs alike.

Critical Acclaim

95 Wine Enthusiast

Barrel Sample. This is a fine wine, full of dark tannins and rich plum fruit. It is solidly constructed, full of fresh fruit while also hinting at a more opulent future.

93 James Suckling

This is fantastic for 2013 with seamless tannins and a long finish. Extremely well made. Full body, with lovely core of fruit and a fresh finish. Tannin tension here. Reminds me of the excellent 1988.

93 Wine Advocate

Potentially the best of all the Pauillacs in 2013 (along with Mouton Rothschild), Pichon Baron is dense purple to the rim, which is not typical in this vintage, and exhibits stunning creme de cassis notes along with licorice, forest floor and white flowers. It is medium-bodied, but very complete, with serious texture, impressive purity, depth and ripe tannins on the finish. This is another 2013 that tastes atypically full and impressive. The final blend from a tiny crop at Pichon Longueville Baron was 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. Drink it over the next 12-15 years. 

93 Vinous

Dark red cherry, plum, spicecake and crushed flowers are some of the many notes that meld together in the 2013 Pichon Baron. Silky and resonant in the glass, the 2013 impresses for its texture and soft, enveloping personality. While there is plenty of early appeal, the 2013 has more than enough brightness and acidity to suggest it will age gracefully. The 2013 Pichon Baron brings together a classic sense of structure with a modern and very pure expression of fruit.

91 Wine Spectator

Offers plum pit, cherry and loganberry notes, with some singed spice details in the background. Presents a taut, iron-tinged finish.

90 Jeb Dunnuck

One of the gems in this difficult vintage (there’s plenty of good wines in 2013, not many great wines), the 2013 Pichon-Longueville Baron offers solid ripeness and medium-bodied richness as well as plenty of darker fruits, underbrush, and spicy, cedary aromas and flavors. It’s a charming, balanced, nicely textured 2013 to drink over the coming decade.