1997 Pichon Baron
By Chateau Pichon Baron
1997 Pichon Baron from Château Pichon Baron, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The 1997 Pichon Baron encapsulates a vintage characterized by a dance between resilience and grace under climatic whimsy. As connoisseurs fondly recall, '97 was not a year that heralded an easy gestation in Bordeaux. Despite the challenges, Château Pichon Baron managed to craft a wine that stands as a testament to the estate's adept manoeuvring through nature's caprices.
When tradition meets tenacity
Pauillac's robust character beams brightly in the 1997 vintage from Château Pichon Baron. A cooler than expected season ripened the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot berries with poise, endowing the wine with a poised equilibrium of fruit intensity and tannic backbone. The team at this historic Château demonstrated agility and precision in their viticulture and vinification techniques, accentuating the fortitude of terroir against the vintage's weatherly headwinds.
In the glass, this '97 iteration whispers of subtle dark fruits entwined meticulously with seasoned oak nuances. There is a pertinacious spirit in this wine, matured yet vivacious, revealing layers that command both respect and introspection. Investors should note the wine’s sustained performance—a true emblem of Pauillac’s timeless appeal.
A carefully scribed chapter in Pauillac's annals
The narrative of the '97 Bordeaux vintage was one of prudent craftsmanship yielding wines that defy expectations. In particular, the 1997 Pichon Baron reads like a well-penned chapter of resilience. Its sinewed structure and aromatic complexity have cultivated it into an intriguing option for fine wine investments.
With over two decades in the bottle, it has unfurled into a state of appropriate maturity – tannins softened yet assured, cassis notes mellowed yet still articulate against an ensemble of earthy refinement. Each sip relays a sense of time’s artful influence on a canvas primed by one of Bordeaux’s masterful estates.
This vintage is conducive for those with foresight, cementing its status as one of the more distinctive voices amid the chorus of vintages from Château Pichon Baron—a voice that commands attention from both collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Market price (GBP)
£940.00
12x75cl
Highest score
86
POP score
156.67
Scores and tasting notes
Complex, evolved, mature, cedar, spice box, and black currant aromas emerge from this ruby/garnet-colored offering. Soft, with sweet tannin, spicy oak, and ripe fruit, but no significant depth, this is an open-knit, attractive Pauillac to enjoy now and over the next 7-8 years.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #128 April 2000
Tasted at the London Pichon-Baron off-line. I would suggest that I have been too harsh on this wine in the past. It does have a very natural, light, cedar-inspired nose with touches of graphite and cigar box. I like the clarity here. The palate is an attractive soft entry, not a great weight but that is compensated by a sense of naturalness on the leafy finish. If you do not expect too much, you will enjoy this '97. Drink now-2015. Tasted May 2009.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Sep 2009