Mike Saviage

9.4

Ordered off a restaurant list. Straw gold. Great vibrant nose. Very mineral. Notes of lemon, white flowers, wet river stones and some cardamom. After several hours of air this blossoms. Still young but had some nuances of complexity. Great to compare the 2010 vs the 1986 today. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have to say this is my favorite Chateau to stand in front of and gaze. On the nose, spice, wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, mint, tobacco leaf and dark fresh & dry flowers. It's drinking nicely with silty medium-medium + tannins & full bodied. Ruby, ripe wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, crushed dry minerals, mint, tobacco leaf and violets, dark fresh & dry flowers. The acidity is round and mouthwatering. The long finish has great elegance, beauty, length, tension & balance. It's just starting to hit it's stride and has plenty of life ahead of it. Another 15-20 years. Who said 04 was a difficult vintage? This will continue to improve and will stun with another 10 years in bottle. Photos of the the exterior Chateau front & side, tasting room and Christian Seely Managing Director. Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande were originally part of the same estate. Pichon Baron got it's name when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. Chateau Pichon Baron changed because of the Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron passed away at 90 in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate. The sons were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron and the daughters were given what later became Chateau Pichon Lalande. Pichon Baron went through three rough decades in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Part of the issues were, lack of investment and they machine harvested. The first really great vintages for them were 89 & 90 after Jean Rene Matignon, Jean-Michel Cazes join them and AXA Insurance Company purchased them adding capital. The 73 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand clay soils. Pichon Baron uses 80% new French oak and rests in barrel 18 months. @ FogoDeChao

— 8 years ago

Gordon Walker

9.4

Cherry cola, smokiness, dried fruit, wet ashes, earthiness — 9 years ago

James Elliott

9.2

Like a wet wool sock filled with preserved lemon and dried mushrooms, all covered with honey. — 9 years ago

with Sarah

Jesse Mallgren

9.3

10 years before the summer of love. Stewed Strawberry, cherry skins, cranberry, white pepper, bark, wet slate, breakfast muffin, parsley, fennel seed, #margaux #bordeauxwines #bordeaux #wineporn #oldworldwine #oldwine — 10 years ago

Ian Blackburn

9.3

I have tasted many 1961 over the years, this continues to be one of my favorite wines...The strange thing is that this bottle with its high necklinewas the youngest 1961 that I had ever tried, wine had an great Providence - One owner and one incredible cellar.

1961 was a magical year on the right bank; now over 50 years of age it has lost some weight but picked up elegance on the nose - wet clay, graphite/lead pencil, umami/truffle - nose candy for sure. — 11 years ago

Jimmy Angelidis

9.3

Magnificent Bordeaux sample! Warm red fruits in the nose, with wet earthy notes. Smooth velvet tannins. I enjoyed it with miso-mushroom broth with dim sum with rabbit and wild mushrooms — 7 years ago

Zach Jindra

9.2

Green and yellow apple, lemon curd, golden pear, bit of chamomile, definite saltiness, slight nuttiness, minerality, wet stone.

Low alcohol, high acid, dry dry.

Love from first nose. — 8 years ago

Y Kwon

9.3

Nice acidity. Sweet apples, honey and pears. Maybe some wet rocks. Initially poured effervescent bubbles like a fine champagne. — 9 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.8

A softened ruby color. Beautiful balance, everything in harmony. Wet earth, raspberry, cinnamon, a whiff of truffle, intoxicating nose. So much ripe, fresh red fruit on the palate. Such soft tannins, damson plum, a mineral streak running through. Drinking a 15 year old wine for 15th anniversary of diabetes. This is splendid in the moment — 9 years ago

kasimir bujak

9.1

bouquet of wet earth, animal, barnyard, rotten black cherries, cedar, very ripe cranberry... the palate gives tart ripe cranberry, wood, dried herbs, real barnyard with a solid core of cranberry/sour cherry. wowzers. — 9 years ago

Jordan Gianelli

9.3

On the fuller side of medium body, the black fruits are showing well and they are perfectly shrouded in a cloak of wet rock and lean oak treatment. A softy all the way through but it's elegance is what makes this wine a masterpiece. Delicate yet full of flavor and terroir. Enjoy! — 10 years ago

Hum

9.7

2002 vintage...profound tomato leaf, graphite, old leather, cassis, wet tobacco... Silky yet firm on the palate. A little taut but still drinking so well right now. Really, a treat. — 10 years ago

Nils Johnson

9.8

Man I love this wine! Smells of petrol, wet limestone and lemon curd. Delicious! — 13 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.1

Noticeably more oxidized than the 2010 with smoke accents and hints of wet concrete. Feels tighter and more acid driven despite the significantly higher ph. More perfumed and juicier on the palate than most of the others. Vintage variations at Musar are enormous, as always. — 8 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Since this is the last Friday of the year, my Cabernet fix is going to be a little different this time.

Dark ruby in color with a short brick /orange rim.

Earthy nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, earth, wood, light vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, forest floor, leather, pencil lead, light barnyard, licorice, light vanilla, bell pepper and vegetables.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity and nice legs.

Dry and earthy on the palate with blueberries, cherries, oak, licorice, cloves, earth, wet leaves, vegetables, herbs, beef jerky, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, green pepper, black tea and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

What a wonderful Cabernet based red from Saint Estephe. Nicely balanced and very complex with a great mouthfeel. Earthy and still young, but drinking very nicely now.

Not a great vintage, but so enjoyable by itself or with food. The nose is so complex, that it's so nice just to sniff on.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show some tannins.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

13% alcohol by volume. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Rich ripe to dry dark cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate with brewed coffee and dark warm wet earth. Showing nicely. — 9 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

The wine shows a nice evolution with an orange rim in the glas. The cork was fully soaked. The nose is discreet. Strawberry jam and some wet earth scents. The palate is not ample. The tannins are now fully integrated. A nice acidic touch makes it interesting with a slight saltiness and strawberry jam again. Not great, a bit discreet but a nice lovable wine considering the vintage. — 9 years ago

Andrew Willingham

8.9

Clear ruby red, youthful, medium- body. Tart strawberries and blackberries. Wet slate minerality, long finish. Enjoyed this, even though not a 2012 :-) — 10 years ago

with Deborah

Ben Rossen

9.4

Wet stone, green apple and melon. Zippy and mineral. I want more. — 11 years ago