2010 Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron Pauillac

On The Edge of Perfection

In February of this year, Robert Parker’s longtime critic Jeb Dunnuck, published a show-stopping 99+ point review of the 2010 Pichon-Longueville Baron. We first offered this “Super Second” two years ago. Today, it is on the literal edge of perfection and we have requested another 192 bottles, to be drawn from the cellars in Pauillac. Parker’s own review called it “sensational,” but Dunnuck goes one further calling it “borderline perfection in a bottle,” boasting a “saturated purple color as well as truly extraordinary aromatics of crème de cassis, licorice, crushed rock-like minerality, graphite, and spring flowers. Possessing full-bodied richness, a huge, unctuous mid-palate, and building tannin, it shows the purity, grandeur, and precision that makes this vintage so remarkable.” What more can be said? If you need any more convincing that this is the Pauillac bargain of the vintage, you could compare the price of the Baron to Parker’s other favorite Pauillacs of 2010 (see our chart). Elsewhere up to $359. But at our $239 price tag, this is a no-brainer for serious Bordeaux collectors.

Ever since Robert Parker rocked the wine world by retiring from the annual en primeur tasting in Bordeaux, it’s gotten harder and harder to find bargains on 2010s from Bordeaux’s elite.

At Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, one of Pauillac’s two “super second” growths, winemaker Daniel Llose turned out what director Christian Seely thinks is the greatest Pichon Baron in three decades. Robert Parker saw things just as Seely did, publishing a jaw-dropping tasting note shortly after the en primeur tasting of 2011 and sending the price of the 2010 Pichon-Longueville Baron into orbit.

In his review of May 2011, Parker wrote: “Black/purple-colored with super concentration… an awesome display of creme de cassis, blackberry liqueur, licorice… this superstar of the vintage is definitely a wine to purchase as a future.” Anticipated maturity: “2015-2040.” 97-99+ points.

This past February, Jeb Dunnuck, Parker’s longtime reviewer, put the veritable nail-in-the-coffin with his own 99+ point review, calling it “borderline perfection.” Of any of the 2010 Barons still sitting in the cellar, after this missive, and as word gets out, we’ll be lucky to secure any library release bottles at today’s offered price.

And given the steady price escalation ever since Parker’s industry-rocking news, you won’t find better bargains on 2010s from Bordeaux’s elite anytime soon; in fact, we’re amazed we still found these at all. But these are the times our long relationships and many years on the wine trail pay off.

Jonathan Cristaldi

Editor-in-Chief, Wine Access

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 13.50%
• 30 mins
• Now – 2040
• % Cabernet Sauvignon% Merlot
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork