1997 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

This is a fully mature benchmark Second Growth from Pauillac: the prestigious Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 1997 (commonly known as Pichon Baron). Widely celebrated as one of the definitive "Super Seconds" of the Médoc, Pichon Baron is famous for crafting wines of intense power, muscular structure, and profound cabernet purity. The 1997 vintage produced exceptionally charming, approachable, and harmonious expressions across Bordeaux, and this bottle has evolved into a glorious plateau of peak tertiary drinking maturity. The nose opens with an inviting bouquet of cassis, dark plum preserves, and black cherries, gracefully interwoven with classic Pauillac notes of pencil lead graphite, cedarwood, cigar box, cured leather, and damp forest floor. On the palate, it is medium-to-full-bodied, supple, and beautifully balanced, where the estate's traditionally muscular tannins have softened into fine velvet, enlivened by a fresh spine of natural acidity that carries into a long, dry, and savory mineral finish.

Highlights

• Vintage: 1997

• Region/Appellation: Pauillac, Médoc, Bordeaux, France (Deuxième Grand Cru Classé / Second Growth)

• Producer: Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

• Grape: Classic Bordeaux Blend (Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc)

• Style: Fully Mature, Savory, Silky, and Refined Super Second Red Bordeaux

• Perfect for (food pairing): Fine cuts of slow-roasted rack of lamb with a garlic-herb crust, dry-aged prime ribeye or wagyu steak, roasted squab, pan-seared duck breast, or tender venison loin. Its complex tertiary notes of cedarwood, graphite, tobacco, and forest floor also make it a magnificent companion for pan-seared wild mushrooms, truffled risottos, savory earth-driven pastas, or a well-curated plate of mature hard cheeses such as an aged Comté or Gouda.