Château Pichon Baron 2012

Perfectly balanced, class-act tannins with great precision and brilliance, a stunningly fresh, juicy style, and a complex bouquet of flowers and red berries; excellent for the vintage; it has the character and depth that only truly great wines possess.

This has a lively spine of briar that runs through a core of cassis and plum fruit, while anise and sweet tobacco notes fill in on the finish. Shows a twinge of plum skin at the end, but offers more than enough flesh and drive overall. A solid effort. Best from 2017 through 2027. 14,165 cases made.

As a vintage, 2012 was similar to 2014, but with a notch less intensity and ripeness. The nose is muted, with blackcurrant and blackberry aromas. It's oaky but stylish, with some torrefied notes. Rich and full-bodied, the palate is velvety and concentrated, with imposing fruit. It's more forward and shows less tension than 2014, but has a lot of structure for the vintage. Supple tannins on the long finish.

A pretty core of ripe-berry, currant and mineral character to this red with a full body, silky tannins and a fresh finish to add. Creamy texture. Better in 2017.

Delicious aroma of ripe, dark fruit, spice and cedar. Very finely textured, fluid and elegant. Juicy finish. Not that concentrated but very long. (JH)

The 2012 Pichon Baron is wonderfully aromatic and textured in the glass. Scents of smoke, pipe tobacco and cedar meld into a core of intense dark fruit. Pliant and supple, but with considerable underlying structure, the 2012 is likely to drink well for the next two to three decades, perhaps longer, but it is also going to need at least a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften.

Full-bodied, tannic and tight, this is far too young to drink today. I like the wine’s cassis character, but it seems like it’s always going to have a crisp, tannic, classic personality.

Nice red and dark fruit, cassis, plum, herbs, fine oak and tobacco; good weight and density with nice dark fruit, some herbal and spicy notes, good length, fine tannin, albeit restrained and requiring time.

A silky, pure, even sexy Pauillac that excels in the vintage, the 2012 from Pichon Longueville Baron sports a deep ruby/purple color along with surprisingly ripe notes of black currants, toasted bread, saddle leather, and sweet oak. Full-bodied, ripe, plush, and supple, with low acidity and ripe yet present tannins, it needs 4–5 years of cellaring and will drink beautifully over the following 15–20 years.

Real confirmation that these top Pauillacs take their first steps towards being ready to drink at the 10-year window in these ‘medium’ vintages – compared to 15 in the bigger vintages. This is just stretching its limbs, charming if a little short, showing autumnal hedgerow fruits, cracked pepper, cocoa bean, cappuccino. Has power and depth, and is extremely enjoyable. Where in a vertical of the estate it doesn’t stand out, in a horizontal across the vintage it really does. 70% new oak. Jean-Rene Matignon, technical director.

Representing 50% of the production that year, the deep garnet-black colored 2012 Pichon Baron needs a fair bit of coaxing and swirling to unlock notes of crème de cassis, fruit cake, licorice, and unsmoked cigars, leading to hints of red currant preserves, Sichuan pepper, and dusty soil. Medium-bodied, the palate has a great intensity of savory-laced black fruit preserves with a grainy texture and a mineral-laced finish. Drinking nicely now, it should continue to cellar for another 15 years.

A nose with hypnotic calm, offering generous, mentholated forest-fruit aromas, unveiling a caressing palate energized by fine acidity and tannins lifted to perfection, for a wine of elegance that borders on the sublime.

Fresh, fruity bouquet with good intensity, showing notes of blackcurrant and gentle spices. Harmonious in character, the wine is alluring, inviting, and well framed by fresh, velvety tannins. A 2012 that convinces with its elegance and subtlety. Very accomplished, it stands among the Médoc’s notable successes of the vintage.

Logo on the capsule: inverted T (Trescases) Not decanted versus decanted. Blend: 80% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot. Intense, beautiful color. Not decanted, the nose is delicate, fruity, subtle, and noble. Decanted, the fruitiness seems riper. The palate has a meticulous feel, developing into a smooth, powerful, and melting texture. Decanting slightly amplifies it and gives an impression of greater power.