The Orlando Friends Tasting Group recently conducted a vertical tasting of selected Pichon Comtesse de Lalande wines. At the time the group signaled its intent to close the loop by tasting the wines of Pichon Baron, a single unit with Comtesse prior to the 1855 inheritance-related split. In this post I explore the characteristics of the Pichon Baron environment.
The chart below shows the common beginnings of the two estates and their post-split journeys.
Both of the estates were sold by the original owners within 85 years of the split but while Comtesse flourished under the Miaihle family, Baron floundered under its new owners. It took a further sale to AXA Millésimes, and subsequent investment in management and facilities, for world-class wines to be produced at the estate once again. This upswing began with the 1989 and 1990 vintages and reached its apogee with the 2009 vintage.
The Pichon Baron physical and built environments are illustrated in the following chart.
The climate and soils of Comtesse have been previously described and it is expected that the same conditions govern in Baron.
The current hectarage represents a 265% increase from the starting point, comparing favorably with Comtesse's 253% increase over the same period. The vineyards are divided into four blocks and 70 parcels, compared to six blocks and 65 parcels at Comtesse. There is also similarity in the distribution of planted vine varieties -- especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot -- but Baron has 1% of its vineyard dedicated to Semillon in support of its dry white wine. Comtesse has no Semillon plantings.
Vine density is approximately 9000/ha for each estate. Comtesse adheres to biodynamic farming practices while Baron farms sustainably.
Grapes brought into the cellar from the vineyards are optically sorted, said technology having been introduced with the 2010 vintage. This has led to a decrease in the amount of grapes allocated to the Grand Vin and an associated increase in second-wine grapes.
Grapes are fermented on a plot-by-plot basis in 44 steel tanks ranging in size from 64 hL to 220 hL. Eight oak tanks (80 to 135 hL) are reserved for Merlot fermentations. Beginning with the 2022 vintage, twenty-one 750 L amphora vats are being used for Petit Verdot vinification.
Post-fermentation, the best batches of young wine are "earmarked" for the Grand Vin and are aged in new oak for 3 months. At that time a second assessment is made and the final Grand Vin lots identified. These wines are then aged for 15 to 17 months in 70 - 80% new oak.
The Pichon Baron portfolio is summarized below.
We will be tasting selected vintages of the Grand Vin in the next few days.
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