Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 7 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.3

Still one of my fave producers of Rioja — 8 months ago

Ben Mathes

9.7

Leather, silky smooth, tobacco. 40 year old vintage for my 40th — 3 years ago

David Nicewicz

9.7

Birth year vintages are a roll of the dice but luckily I landed on a pretty solid classic - 1978. So for my birthday this year, we opened an LLC and wow was this perfect. The sommelier was surgical in removing the cork which split in half but he managed to extract it. The nose on this wine was a 10 - loads of cassis, licorice, dusty library and leather. Palate was extracted cassis, leather and great acidity and liveliness, just like my 44 year old self. It’s just pure magic when bottles this old perform - happy Friday everyone. — 4 years ago

Jonathan McCarthy

9.4

My favorite Yquem so far, the explicit apricot and marcona ride over a smokier, spicier background. Clean briquettes of fine Japanese coal with a skewer of white champignons and allium petals are roasting and carbonizing. Super compelling. — 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

— 9 years ago

Nicole Stckman

9.1

One of my favorites. Has hints berry. — 11 years ago

Magno González

9.2

'09 shed most of its baby fat and is at a good place right now. Pure Joy! — 12 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Pretty deep ruby garnet , medium wide garnet rim . Aromatic and really classic with a mix or red and dark fruits , tobacco , grafite and cedar . On the palate this is quite linear , again with the red and dark fruits from the nose, cedar and grafite and quite rounded resolved tannins . Fresh acidity , good cedar with grafite length , very classic in style . Enough density and fruit to cover the rest of the structure. In a perfect place now at least in this format , and probably will be over the next 10 years . This was from an Imperial , at BBR in London . — 7 months ago

Justin Manni

9.3

My favorite sparkling rose — 8 months ago

Stephen F Laga MD

9.6

I’ve had this in my personal cellar all these years. It was absolutely fantastic. Very smooth. No aftertaste. Had with prime rib for Christmas Eve dinner — 8 months ago

Kasey Sullivan

9.0

Was gifted this wine by my dad, given to him by friends 15 years ago. I was a little nervous to drink it, as I am not very sophisticated about wine and have never had a wine this aged before... I was surprised at how good it was, though I could sense enough to believe that maybe it had lost some of its structure. I would say it tasted lush to me, and very drinkable. Impressive, and a learning experience for me, for which I was glad to have the opportunity. Thanks, dad!
— 2 years ago

Gareth Kitching

9.0

My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 7 years ago

Rebekkah Bowman

9.2

Bought for my Mother in law's 60th birthday. We loved it! — 7 years ago

Phillip Antley

9.1

Deep berries, smooth tannins that complement my NY Strip nicely! — 9 years ago

Samantha (Jacob) Berman

9.5

@Ron R this one wasn't my own, but was a step up, from my older brother's table. (Thanks Bri) — 10 years ago

Jaume

9.4

29 years old and drank incredibly well. What a treat. The big fruits have softened but in their place is now a brooding torrent of notes which evolved from sip to sip. Quite a remarkable wine. — 11 years ago

Nury Wood

9.4

The first bottle my wonderful hubby and I shared all those years ago. Great then. Better now. Smooth and slightly tanen with a touch of dryness. — 11 years ago

with George

Bardia Khoshnoodi

9.0

Day 1: No decanting, on the nose this is tangy and fruity but tart. On the pallet, fruity light but dry. Has brightness to it as well. Overall I enjoyed this wine but not my favorite. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Close 2025 with a 375ml Grande Cuvée and my mother’s old fashion coffee cake. — 8 months ago

Devin Healey

9.6

Saved this one for a special occasion. My goodness what a bottle. — 8 months ago

Jayna Fontenot

9.8

Smells supe light. Barely there honeysuckle, wisps of green apple. Tiny bubbles, fresh and clean and like if champagne were made of cloud. Delicious, and my first Dom! — 10 months ago

Gor

9.2

Big and broody - black cherries, plums, licorice, roses, hint of blood orange. Very concentrated and packs a tannic punch on the palate with a little graphite. — 4 years ago

Skip Smyser

9.5

This is a big RED that is drinking at its peak. Shared with my dear friend Gino who loved it. Cork fell apart on me but it didn’t detract from the marvelous tannins and minerality with lush red berries. — 7 years ago

Michael Lavely

9.3

My new favorite. Lots of fruit. Full body. — 8 years ago

David Goldfinger

9.6

Well balanced and my fave of the '05's tasted tonight by hairs — 9 years ago

Chad Moroni

10

My favorite time of the year! — 10 years ago

Morgan

9.0

One of my favorites. Big bold red. — 11 years ago

Pete Faletto

9.5

My favorite red blend — 11 years ago