Château
Pichon Baron

Vintage conditions

The summer called for extreme supervision. Thinning and leaf removal were painstakingly undertaken in all the plots. Thanks to this precise labour of love, by early September there were no traces of disease for the upcoming harvest.September could hardly have been better: low rainfall and average temperatures as in July or August. The unbroken series of mild, sunny days and cool nights helped to maintain the perfect health of the grapes, enhancing the accumulation of colouring matter and the slow blossoming of the aromas.Picking was spread over different periods: the young Merlot grapes were brought in between September 18th and 20th and the old vines from September 24th to October 1st; the Cabernet franc and young Cabernet-sauvignon grapes were picked on September 26th and 27th and the harvest was completed with the old Cabernet-sauvignon vines from October 1st to 9th.There was a very good sugar content enabling fermentation to be undertaken gently. The initial racking operations confirmed the remarkable concentration in anthocyanins - the highest of the last few years - and the presence of refined tannins. The acidity was normal and fermentation was completed without any problem. The malolactic fermentation was completed very quickly enabling quick and early barreling of the wine. The new and now operational cellar houses the various lots laid down for ageing.