Château Pichon Baron has stood among Pauillac's elite since its classification as a Second Growth in 1855, its 73 hectares of vines planted on some of the Médoc's most prized gravel banks near the Gironde estuary. This corner of Bordeaux's Left Bank has long been synonymous with structured, cabernet-driven wines built for the cellar, and Pichon Baron's estate style leans into that reputation with precision and depth. Since the 2012 vintage, the property has channeled its youngest vines and finest declassified lots into Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, a second wine that offers a genuine window into the Grand Vin's character at a fraction of the price.

The 2019 vintage arrived after a mild winter and an uneven, rain-touched spring, followed by a hot, dry summer that concentrated the fruit beautifully while preserving fine tannins and low acidity. This bottling leans Merlot-dominant at 59%, with 41% Cabernet Sauvignon rounding out the blend, and spent 18 months aging in barrel, 60% of it new French oak, before bottling. The result is a wine with real substance and depth, more expressive and approachable in its youth than the Grand Vin, but built with the same attention to precision.

Why You'll Love It

• An intense purple color signals the concentration packed into this glass.
• The nose mingles black fruit with woodsy, spice-driven top notes and a whisper of tobacco.
• A full, structured attack gives way to a balanced palate carried by fine, polished tannins.
• A lovely thread of minerality runs through the mid-palate, a hallmark of the estate's gravel terroir.
• The finish is long, refreshing, and precise, with real staying power for a second wine.
• Versatile enough for a special weeknight bottle now, with the structure to reward a few more years in the cellar.

How To Serve It

• Serve at 60-64°F, slightly cooler than room temperature, to keep the fruit and minerality in focus.
• Give it a 30 to 60 minute decant to let the tannins soften and the aromatics fully open.
• Pour into Bordeaux stems, which showcase the wine's structure and long finish.
• Pair with a herb-crusted rack of lamb with Bordelaise sauce, where the wine's fine tannins and savory spice notes meet their match.