Les Griffons De Pichon Baron 2017 (750ML)

91-93 VM / 91-92 JS / 90-92 JD / 91 DE / 89-91 WA

The 2017 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is aged in 60% new oak and 40% one-year old barrel. It has quite a voluminous and intense bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, a hint of sea spray and smoke that is very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, just a touch of coarseness on the entry, firm and masculine towards the second half with a long Cabernet-driven, graphite-inspired finish. Excellent. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Tight and focused with linearity to the way the blackcurrant and dark-chocolate character. Medium-bodied, fresh and clean. Shows brightness. - James Suckling

The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated second wine is the 2017 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, and it offers more crème de cassis, graphite, and crushed violets as well as medium to full-bodied richness. Both second wines from this estate are elegant and seamless, with beautiful purity of fruit. Where the Les Tourelles is more upfront and approachable, this beauty will benefit from a year or three of bottle age. This cuvée is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot that will spend 18 months in 60% new French oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

Cabernet-dominant in personality; tight on the finish, with lovely purity and fine tannins. There's some excellent black pepper spice from 5% Petit Verdot - which has only been added to the blend for the past five years. This is a serious wine, with real presence, and layers of liquorice, blackcurrant, hawthorn and tobacco. - Jane Anson, Decatner

The Cabernet Sauvignon-based expression of Pichon Baron’s second wine contains 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron has expressive notes of cassis, crushed black cherries and black raspberries with hints of lavender, underbrush, Provence herbs and tilled soil. The palate is medium-bodied and incredibly elegant with great freshness and very fine tannins, finishing earthy. - LPB, Wine Advocate