Pichon Longueville Baron's vineyard lies on a fine terroir of Garonne gravel in the south of the appellation, on the high plateau that serves as a transition between the communes of Pauillac and Saint Julien. Planted with vines at the end of the 17th century, it met with almost immediate success. Produced under the supervision of Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville, the wines were close to matching Latour in terms of quality at the end of the 18th century. Classified as a second growth in 1855, the property was divided following an inheritance, and the wines were vinified separately from 1860: Raoul, the only surviving son of Baron Joseph, took charge of the current Pichon Longueville Baron, often called ¿Pichon Baron¿, while the Baron's daughter, Virginie, who was married to the Comte de Lalande, received the other part of the property, hence the addition of ¿Comtesse de Lalande¿. The residence was built by Raoul in 1851, and was inspired by Château d'Azay le Rideau. The property continued to be owned by the Pichons until 1933, when it was sold to the Bouteiller family. It was then managed by their descendants for the next fifty years until it was acquired by Axa Millésimes in 1987, in a somewhat neglected state. Jean-Michel Cazes, the owner of Lynch-Bages in Pauillac, was appointed to manage the property. Major renovation works in the château and Pichon-Longueville's winery were carried out.