2019 Le Pin
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Le Pin is more oak-driven on the nose than its peers, creamy black cherries and blueberry fruit, lacking the intellect that one might have expected at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with a lot of oak tannins, creamy with a torrefactory, singed leather element towards the finish. I don't quite understand this Le Pin at the moment and wonder how it will evolve? A great wine being outmaneuvered by its peers at the moment. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Cool and fresh and savoury with a certain treacly intensity. Slightly sandy, drying tannins on the end. In a minor key compared with some of the greats. But quite subtle and satisfying. (JR)
A classic Le Pin in its exuberant, kinky, sexy, almost over-ripe style, the 2019 Château Le Pin offers a monster nose of black cherry liqueur, red plums, tobacco leaf, mocha, orange peel, and violets. Truly exotic and one of a kind, it hits the palate with a powerful, full-bodied, opulent yet seamless mouthfeel that carries ample tannic grip, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great finish. It has some elevated volatile acidity and won't be for everyone, but this exotic, dry port-like Merlot needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age and will drink well for 20-25 years.
The 2019 Le Pin is a rich, expansive wine that soars from the glass with aromas of raspberry preserve, plums, wild berries, rose petals and licorice, framed by a deftly judged patina of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, supple and velvety, it's broad and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit that's framed by lively acids and powdery tannins, concluding with a long, aromatic finish. Rich in gravel on the surface, Le Pin's vines are rooted in clay, which no doubt helps to explain how this wine can perform so well in warm, dry vintages. As is the norm these days, the 2019 was matured in 70% new oak.
About the producer
Owned by Jacques Thienpont, Le Pin is, without doubt, one of the most famous names in wine. One of the three great names of Pomerol, alongside Pétrus and Ch. Lafleur, it is one of the rarest, most expensive and finest wines in Bordeaux – if not the world.