Chateau Pichon-Longueville: Over a Century of Illustrious Winemaking
Only fifteen estates are listed among the Deuxiemes Crus of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, and Chateau Pichon-Longueville is one of the lucky few. With a product that has stood the test of time, it's an obvious nominee for a Luxist award in the best international red wine category.
The area now known as the Pichon estate was once the site of an unassuming farm called La Baderne, located between the villages of Saint-Julien and Pauillac. In the 17th Century, Baron Jacques de Pichon, the Baron of Longueville, established the vineyards; in 1851, Raoul de Pichon-Longueville built the chateau that still graces the property.
The improvements came just before Pichon-Longueville earned a spot on what would become one of the world's most prestigious and steadfast wine lists. Despite numerous attempts to invent a new system, the Official Classification of 1855 remains the gold standard for Bordeaux wine, and with it, Pichon-Longueville's place in history.
llustrious winemaking, the estate was purchased by the French insurance company AXA in 1987. Today, Pichon-Longueville remains celebrated for its strong, tannin-packed wines, which are also known for their aging potential. One of the estate's latest vintages is a 2008 blend of 71% cabernet and 29% merlot, muscular and fruity with scents of blackberry. No doubt the estate's original farmers would have enjoyed it.
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