Originally part of Pauillac’s impressive Pichon Longueville estate, Pichon Longueville-Baron, or Pichon-Baron, came into its own after the death of its long-time manager, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. Dividing the estate equally among his three daughters and two sons, the Baron set the course for the subsequent emergence of Pichon-Lalande, run by his daughter, Virginie de Lalande, and its sister château, Pichon-Baron, which landed under the direction of her two brothers. While Pichon-Lalande has historically enjoyed a reputation for its femininity, Pichon-Baron is a testament to the opposite. In contrast to Pichon-Lalande’s soft, fruity, rich Merlot-driven wines, Pichon-Baron presents a more assertive, masculine style dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Baron Raoul de Pichon Longueville oversaw both estates for several years until they were permanently divided, and the Pichon-Longueville family retained management until 1933, when the property was sold to the Bouteiller family who owned the château for the next 50 years. Lacking investors, Pichon-Baron experienced an uninspired stretch during the 60s and 70s, but had an impressive comeback after its 1987 acquisition by the AXA Insurance Group. AXA immediately implemented a major restoration, and updated the winemaking environment by introducing leading-edge technology, including satellite imagery, to the property. The company also recruited Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages as its new General Manager and Jean-René Matignon to its tasting team, leading the château in its production of classic vintages as soon as 1989. While its Grand Vin continues to impress, the château also produces two second wines, Les Tourelles de Longueville and Les Griffons de Pichon-Baron. Dark, full-bodied and always elegant, the wines of Château Pichon-Baron have been reinvented to represent Bordeaux in all the best possible ways.