Château Pichon Baron
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron
2024
A Cabernet-oriented Pauillac from gravelly plots near the Gironde estuary, combining freshness, structure and precision with the powerful character of Pichon Baron.
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux - Pauillac
More information
Producer
Château Pichon Baron, officially Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, stands among the most distinguished Second Growths of the 1855 Classification and is widely regarded as one of Pauillac's greatest estates. Located immediately south of Château Latour and owned by AXA Millésimes since 1987, the property has been shaped by consistent investment, meticulous vineyard management and the steady hand of technical director Jean-René Matignon. The resulting wines combine Pauillac's characteristic power and concentration with refined tannins, aromatic depth and the structure to age gracefully for decades.
Quick Facts
- Location: Pauillac, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
- Founded: 17th century, with historic ties to the Pichon de Longueville family
- Classification: Deuxième Cru Classé – Second Growth, 1855
- Ownership: AXA Millésimes, acquired in 1987
- Technical direction: Jean-René Matignon
- Estate size: 73 hectares of vineyards
- Principal grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 60-65%), Merlot (30-35%), Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
- Soils: Deep Günzian gravel over clay and limestone subsoils
- Grand Vin: Château Pichon Baron
- Second wine: Les Tourelles de Longueville
- Style: Structured, concentrated and built for extended cellaring
- Viticulture: Sustainable practices with precision parcel management
The Southern Edge of Pauillac
The estate's origins trace to the 17th century, when it formed part of the larger Pichon de Longueville holdings. Following the division of the property in 1850, Château Pichon Baron retained the portion closest to Château Latour and was formally classified as a Second Growth five years later in the landmark 1855 Classification.
AXA Millésimes' acquisition in 1987 marked the beginning of a period of sustained focus on vineyard renewal, cellar modernisation and the refinement of the estate's winemaking approach. Under the guidance of Jean-René Matignon, who has overseen technical direction since the late 1980s, Pichon Baron has reasserted its reputation as one of the most consistent and collectible producers on the Left Bank.
Gravel and Cabernet at the Gateway to Saint-Julien
The vineyards lie on a deep band of Günzian gravel deposited during the Quaternary period. This well-drained, heat-retaining terroir sits over clay and limestone subsoils that provide both structure and water retention, creating ideal conditions for the slow, even ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Positioned immediately north of the Saint-Julien boundary and adjoining the famed vineyards of Château Latour, Pichon Baron occupies one of the most privileged sites in Pauillac. Its proximity to the Gironde estuary moderates temperature extremes and contributes to the estate's ability to produce wines of concentration without excess.
Cabernet Sauvignon typically accounts for around 60 to 65 per cent of the blend, supported by Merlot and smaller proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Precision viticulture, including parcel-by-parcel harvesting and rigorous selection, ensures that only the finest fruit reaches the cellar.
The Architecture of Time
Winemaking at Pichon Baron emphasises clarity, structure and balance. Following fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete tanks, the wine is aged for approximately 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 70 to 80 per cent are new depending on the vintage.
The Grand Vin, Château Pichon Baron, is characterised by dense black fruit, graphite-like minerality, fine-grained tannins and remarkable length. Built for extended ageing, it typically requires a decade or more in bottle to begin revealing its full complexity and can continue to evolve gracefully for 30 to 50 years or longer in strong vintages.
Les Tourelles de Longueville, the estate's second wine, offers an earlier-drinking expression of Pichon Baron's terroir and winemaking philosophy, combining accessibility with the signature depth and structure of the property.
Country
Region
Bordeaux - Pauillac
Pauillac is one of the most respected appellations in Bordeaux and the only commune in the Médoc to contain three of the five First Growth estates from the historic 1855 Classification. Located on the Left Bank of the Gironde estuary in the Haut-Médoc, Pauillac combines centuries of winemaking heritage with exceptional terroir, producing powerful, structured wines that rank among the most collectible Bordeaux bottles. The appellation represents the pinnacle of Cabernet Sauvignon expression in the Médoc.
The appellation benefits from deep gravel beds mixed with sand and clay, providing excellent drainage and ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, which typically dominates blends alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The moderating influence of the Gironde estuary protects vines from frost while extending the growing season, allowing grapes to achieve optimal ripeness. These geological and climatic factors contribute to wines of remarkable concentration, balance and longevity.
Pauillac is home to Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild, three of the world's most celebrated wine estates. Beyond the First Growths, the appellation includes distinguished producers such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Château Lynch-Bages. Pauillac wines are renowned for their firm tannins, cassis and blackcurrant character, cedar notes and exceptional ageing potential, often reaching their peak after decades in the cellar.
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Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most important and widely planted red wine grapes, renowned for its powerful structure, concentrated fruit and exceptional ageing potential. Originating in Bordeaux, France, the variety has become a defining grape of fine wine regions around the world, particularly Napa Valley, Tuscany, Chile, Australia and South Africa.
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon combines flavours and aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry and dark cherry with characteristic notes of cedar, graphite, tobacco and herbs. Naturally high tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and longevity, while maturation in oak can add layers of spice, vanilla and toast. Its character varies significantly with climate, soil and winemaking, ranging from elegant and savoury to rich, powerful and intensely concentrated.
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly associated with the Left Bank, where it forms the foundation of many prestigious blends alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other permitted varieties. In Napa Valley, it has become the region’s signature red grape, producing some of the world’s most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon’s ability to express terroir while retaining its distinctive structure and character has made it a global benchmark for premium red wine. Whether produced as the dominant variety in a blend or as a varietal wine, the finest examples combine concentration, complexity and the capacity to develop gracefully over decades
Merlot is one of the world’s most important red wine grapes, celebrated for its generous fruit, supple texture and ability to produce wines ranging from approachable and elegant to exceptionally complex and long-lived. Originating in Bordeaux, France, Merlot is particularly associated with the Right Bank, where it forms the foundation of many of the prestigious wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.
Merlot typically expresses flavours and aromas of plum, black cherry, blackberry and red fruits, often developing notes of chocolate, tobacco, cedar, herbs and earthy complexity with maturation. Its naturally rounded texture and generally softer tannin profile distinguish it from Cabernet Sauvignon, although the finest examples can possess considerable structure, freshness and ageing potential.
In Pomerol, Merlot reaches some of its most celebrated expressions, particularly on the appellation’s clay-rich soils, producing wines of remarkable concentration, texture and complexity. In Saint-Émilion, it is commonly blended with Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, creating wines that combine ripe fruit with structure, aromatic complexity and longevity.
Beyond Bordeaux, Merlot is widely cultivated in Italy, California, Washington State, Chile and other major wine regions. It can be produced as a varietal wine or used as a central component of blends, where its fruit and texture complement more structured grape varieties.
From the great Merlot-based wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank to leading expressions around the world, Merlot’s combination of rich fruit, refined texture and capacity to express terroir has established it as one of the defining varieties of fine red wine.
History and Style
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is one of two second wines produced by Château Pichon Baron in Pauillac. Introduced with the 2012 vintage, it was created with its own clearly defined identity rather than simply functioning as a lesser version of the Grand Vin.
Its fruit comes primarily from gravelly vineyard parcels close to the Gironde estuary, terroirs particularly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. Pichon Baron describes Les Griffons through purity, freshness, energy and a direct structural character, while noting its stylistic relationship to Château Pichon Baron itself.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Château Pichon Baron
- Wine: Les Griffons de Pichon Baron
- Category: Second wine
- Appellation: Pauillac AOC
- First vintage: 2012
- Principal identity: Cabernet Sauvignon-oriented Bordeaux blend
History and Identity
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron was introduced with the 2012 vintage and today forms one of two distinct second wines at Château Pichon Baron.
The distinction between the estate's wines is important. The historic Butte de Pichon Baron and a strict selection of older vines from the estate's finest terroirs are reserved for Château Pichon Baron, the Grand Vin. Other parcels contribute to the estate's two second wines: Les Griffons de Pichon Baron and Les Tourelles de Pichon Baron.
Les Griffons is differentiated particularly by its relationship with the gravel terroirs close to the Gironde and the Cabernet Sauvignon that performs strongly there.
This gives the wine a clear product identity:
Pichon Baron terroir → gravel near the Gironde → Cabernet orientation → freshness → structure → energy.
Vineyards and Terroir
The grapes used for Les Griffons come primarily from gravelly parcels close to the Gironde estuary. Pichon Baron specifically identifies these sites as favourable to Cabernet Sauvignon.
The broader Pichon Baron vineyard is divided into numerous individual parcels, each managed according to its particular profile. The estate's current vineyard plantings comprise Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and a small amount of Sémillon, but those estate percentages must not be interpreted as the blend of Les Griffons.
For Sipfind, the geographical and semantic hierarchy should therefore be:
Bordeaux → Médoc → Pauillac → Château Pichon Baron → gravelly estuary-side parcels → Les Griffons de Pichon Baron
The precise parcels and grape proportions selected for the finished wine can vary according to vintage.
Blend
Les Griffons has a Cabernet Sauvignon-oriented identity, but there is deliberately no fixed blend on the master product page.
Producer records demonstrate why this distinction matters. The 2015 vintage contained 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, while 2019 contained 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2023 vintage returned to a Cabernet-led composition of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot.
Therefore:
Master product: Cabernet Sauvignon-oriented Bordeaux blend
Individual vintage: exact verified blend
This is precisely the separation SCI needs to preserve.
Production and Maturation
Les Griffons benefits from the parcel-by-parcel approach used at Château Pichon Baron. Separate lots allow vinification and extraction to be adapted to the characteristics of the fruit and individual terroirs.
The estate's detailed vintage records show controlled fermentation and extraction, regular tasting and separate handling of individual lots before barrel maturation.
However, the precise winemaking regime must remain vintage-specific.
For example, the 2018 vintage matured for 18 months, with 60% new barrels, whereas the 2023 vintage matured for 15 months, with 50% new barrels.
We therefore should not hard-code an exact oak percentage or maturation period into the master bottle entity.
Instead, SCI should store:
Vinification: parcel-specific
Maturation: French oak
Exact maturation period: vintage-specific
New oak percentage: vintage-specific
Style and Tasting Profile
Pichon Baron gives Les Griffons an unusually clear stylistic identity, describing the wine in terms of purity, directness, freshness, volume and energy.
The estate also states that the wine is close to the Grand Vin in both aromatic profile and structure. This makes Les Griffons more than simply an earlier-drinking alternative: it is intended to retain a recognisable connection to the structural character of Pichon Baron.
For the master product, I would therefore lock the stylistic DNA as:
Cabernet character → freshness → energy → structure → precision → length.
Specific aromas such as blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, graphite or spice belong to the relevant vintage tasting profiles rather than the generic master page.
Position within the Pichon Baron Portfolio
The distinction between Pichon Baron's three Pauillac reds is important for SCI.
Château Pichon Baron is the Grand Vin, based on strict selection from older vines and the estate's greatest terroirs, particularly the historic Butte de Pichon Baron.
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is one of the estate's two second wines and draws primarily from gravelly parcels close to the Gironde, giving it its Cabernet-oriented, fresh and structured identity.
Les Tourelles de Pichon Baron is the estate's other second wine and should remain a separate product entity rather than being grouped together with Les Griffons.
There is also now a Les Griffons de Pichon Baron Grand Vin Blanc Sec, first produced with the 2022 vintage. Despite sharing the Les Griffons name, this is a separate dry white wine and must be maintained as an entirely separate product entity in SCI.
Ageing and Serving
Pichon Baron states that Les Griffons can be enjoyed relatively young but also has the capacity to develop in the cellar for more than 20 years.
The balance between immediate accessibility and ageing potential will naturally vary with vintage. For example, the estate's current 2023 assessment recommends some patience before drinking, reflecting the structure of that particular year.
Sipfind should therefore keep detailed drinking windows at vintage level rather than applying one fixed range to every Les Griffons release.
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