1994 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron 2nd Grand Cru Classe
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The 1994 Pichon Baron is a vintage that I have not tasted for some time. It was always a level up from the previous three vintages. The nose is now fully mature with red fruit, cedar, wild mushroom and light estuarine scents, perhaps just a bit diffuse compared to the 2004 tasted alongside. The palate evidences the approach of winemaker Daniel Llose at the time, who tended to extract more of a muscular palate, but now it is just beginning to dry on the meaty finish. Hence, I would drink this shortly. Tasted at the château.
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Black fruits, rosebud and rose stem nuances. There are tannins still in evidence, and some architecture to hang the acidity from, but this is a little disappointing overall, with a dip through the mid palate. The last in a series of three (even four) extremely challenging vintages in the Médoc. 80% new oak.
While it can't match the drama or charm of Pichon Lalande this vintage, the 1994 Pichon-Longueville Baron has turned out quite nicely, offering up aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with hints of loamy soil and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, with an abundance of structuring tannins and ripe acids, it's a somewhat blocky but characterful wine that will likely always be a touch austere.