2014 Pibran
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Tasting notes
The 2014 Pibran has a clean, well-defined bouquet of blackberry, wild hedgerow and light pencil shaving scents that become more prominent as the wine aerates. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. A nimble 2014 with a superb line of acidity and real tension toward the lightly spiced finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle and then drink away. Tasted at the Pibran vertical at Château Pichon-Baron.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
I also loved the 2014 Chateau Pibran, which is a similar blend to the 2015, albeit with slightly less Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers a terrific bouquet of plum, mulberries, cedary spice, flowers, and toasty oak. This flows to a medium-bodied, elegant Pauillac that’s beautifully balanced, has top notch purity, integrated acidity, and clean, focused finish. This is classy stuff that’s already approachable, yet will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and keep for another 15+.
The 2014 Pibran was tasted twice, the first demonstrating some dustiness on the nose. The second bottle tasted at an impromptu visit at the château showed much more clarity with pretty blueberry and blackberry fruit, not intense but well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, plenty of blackberry and bilberry fruit, a splash of soy and a pleasing spiciness towards the finish. It is a delightful Pauillac that exudes mineral tension all the way through.
The 2014 Pibran is soft, pleasant and quite pretty. Sweet tobacco, earthy notes, smoke, iron and cedar add attractive savory underpinnings. Bright and a bit tightly wound, the Pibran could use a bit more time in bottle for the tannins to soften. The 2014 Pibran is a bit unusual in that the blend is 70 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 % Merlot rather than the more typical 50/50.