A touch of opulence to the nose in the aromatically expressive floral and dark fruit scents. Alive and open, this starts with a burst of acidity and pure strawberry flavour but the texture is the most appealing with density and richness - almost plush - but the motion keeps it from being too heavy. Lovely structure, feels well constructed and built with muscles and power underneath the lively fruit. Still more compact than Les Tourelles which would be great to enjoy now, this needs a little longer but will be worth the wait.

A plush but refined nose with sweet blackberries and cherries. Ripe and flavorful, this has restrained berries and fine tannins throughout. Long, firm and posh. 50% merlot, 66% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink from 2027. - Zekun Shuai

Also brilliant, the 2022 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron brings a touch more structure and density than the Tourelles. Cassis, graphite, leather, and cedar pencil notes, as well as a beautiful violet note, define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a focused, pure, precise mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s another impeccably made, pure, flawlessly balanced wine from this château that I’d be happy to drink any time over the coming 15+ years.

Black fruits, flowers, and creme de cassis aromatics are all over the place. On the palate, the wine is juicy, fresh, lifted, elegant, round, and long. There is sweetness, and vibrancy that makes you want to take another sip before the finish is over. The wine blends 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2047.

The more ‘Pichon’ of the two second wines, in the 2022 vintage Les Griffons is 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, this cuvée taking all the estate’s Petit Verdot. A very elegant style on the nose, with layers of fragrant and perfumed chalk over lightly desiccated dark red cherry fruits. The palate conveys a great sense of energy and drive, with finely polished fruits, texturally taut and bright, with dark red cherry, currant, tobacco and black pepper, alongside a finely strung frame of tannins which interplay with the acidity to create a taut structural frame which runs into the finish. A very classically defined style which I like more now than I did when tasted as a barrel sample;I think this will evolve beautifully given time, despite its second-wine status. Let’s give it at least ten years. The alcohol on the label is 14.5%. - Chris Kissack

The 2022 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is super-refined from start to finish. Everything speaks to balance. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, mocha, dried flowers and blood orange infuse the 2022 with notable character and class. Silky, polished tannins wrap it all together in grand style. The 2022 spent 18 months in French oak, 40% new, an approach that worked beautifully. -- Antonio Galloni

A solid version, with a packed core of blackberry, black currant and black cherry reduction notes wrapped in licorice root, bay leaf and violet. A growl of cast iron emerges through the finish, giving this a burly, earth-driven feel. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2036. - JM

The 2022 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is more Cabernet-driven, echoing the style of the grand vin, as opposed to the more supple, forward Tourelles. Offering up aromas of sweet dark berries and espresso roast, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, built around powdery structuring tannins. - William Kelley