2018 Tourelles de Longueville
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Tasted blind. The group (just) preferred this to its Griffons stablemate. Plush fruit and some rather drying tannins underneath but it’s certainly ambitious! Long and pungent. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Les Tourelles de Longueville is less precocious on the nose than it was out of barrel, yet still endowed with ample black fruit and more graphite aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry flavors, fine-grained tannins and a smooth texture. The dark plum finish retains the pinch of white pepper I noticed in barrel but offers more pencil lead. The prenatal headiness has been continued, which is why it lies at the top of my banded score.
The more Merlot-dominated 2018 Les Tourelles De Longueville (66% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) is a rocking little Pauillac with loads of red and black currant fruits, toasted spiced, dried tobacco, and earthy goodness on the nose. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully textured, it's well worth seeking out and is going to evolve for 10-15 years.
About the producer
Pauillac’s Ch. Pichon Baron, formerly known as Ch. Pichon-Longueville Baron, is ranked as one of the 15 Second Growths from the 1855 Classification and is considered one of the "Super Seconds".