x
  • Country ranking ?

    398
  • Producer ranking ?

    12
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2030
  • Food Pairing

    Poached Salmon with Green Sauc

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

Château Le Pin, or simply Le Pin, is an unclassed Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. There has never been an official classification of Pomerol. Even so, Chateau Le Pin commands prices that put it at levels equal to the best wines of Bordeaux. The unusually small estate is located on the Right Bank of France’s Gironde estuary, and its wine is periodically one of the world's most expensive red wines. Le Pin was the first of the "garage wines" or microchateau that have become cult collector wines. These wines defy the traditional classifications.
 

Madame Laubie, whose family had owned the plot since 1924 sold the vineyard in 1979 to the Belgian Thienpont family for 1 million francs. Developed by Marcel and Gérard Thienpont on less than 2 hectares, wine was produced by microcuvée from a farmhouse basement. The property was given the name Le Pin by the Thienponts from a solitary pine tree that shades the property. By acquiring tiny adjoining plots of land, Jacques has doubled the size of Le Pin to five acres.

Occasionally the most expensive wine in the world, continually receiving high ratings from wine critics and produced in extremely small numbers, Le Pin bottles are a constant presence on the wine auction market. Le Pin produces just 600 to 700 cases each year.
Currently managed by Jacques Thienpont, additional tiny plots of land have been acquired. Some years no wine is produced.

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Vintage 1989

Bordeaux: The 2nd in a trio of great vintages and which produced a large harvest of ripe, rich and fleshy wines which generally possess soft, silky tannins, accompanied by a high alcohol level. It was the hottest summer since 1949 and the harvest began on August 28, the earliest since 1893. The grapes were harvested in dry conditions, the only concern being that some acidity levels were low, which which has led to suggestions that some wines would not be suitable for long-term aging. Ten years later, these fears have proven to be largely unfounded, as the best wines are now showing extremely well, showing concentration and great complexity.

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Average Bottle Price

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2005 2000
2 285€ +9.3% 2 091€ +14.2% 1 831€ +9.5% 1 672€ +9.9% 1 522€ +51.7% 1 003€ +132.2% 432€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Latest Pro-tasting notes

29 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Full, Ruby red and Dark

ending

Long, Lingering and Spicy

flavors

Blackcurrant, Cherry, Blackberry, Voluptuous, Floral and Chocolate

nose

Ripe, Seductive, Tempting and Intense

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Warming, Medium tannin, Well-structured, Balanced, Concentrated, Youthful, Medium-bodied, Rich, Harmonious, Ripe, Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Sophisticated and Excellent

Written Notes

The 97-point goodness came to a screeching halt with exhibit B, the 1989 Le Pin, which was flat out smoked by the 1982. The ’89 was soft and tender, easy with some classic components but very simple in the mouth. There was a touch of slate to its one-dimensional plum flavors, and I just didn’t feel this vintage at all, and this wasn’t the first time, either (91).
  • 91p

Deep ruby-red. Aromas of cherry, mocha, milk chocolate and blacberries. Chewy and on the dry side but stuffed with flavors of cherry, plum, iron, tobacco and mocha. This has fat and sweetness for the year, along with a suggestion of herbs. Finishes with silky tannins and moderate lift!

  • 96p

A concentrated Le Pin with dense tannin layers and rich cocoa and dark plum notes. The wine is still youthful, filled with vigor and generosity – a denser style than the 1990 and much less flamboyant. A layered, beautiful Le Pin.

96 points

  • 96p

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, ripe, rich and dense nose, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark berries, anise, spices, blackberries, ripe, nuanced, detailed, incredible length, just doesn't stop. 100

  • 100p

More spicy and "sweeter" version of 1990, but maybe a bit less concentrated. Just perfect. Brilliant future, which means 10-15 years' long life.

  • 95p
Rich, ripe and intense, but still closed. If compared with 1990 Le Pin, 1990 is more appealing and charming currently.
  • 95p
Good looking normal size bottle, in an excellent condition and has by the neck level. Colour is ruby red, and looking healthy, full and youthful . On the nose it is intense, seductive and tempting. The taste is harmonious, focused, fruity, perfumed, with silky tannins, full-bodied, with balanced, well-structured and good texture structure. On the palate it is layered and has blackcurrant, herbs, perfumed, port-like, leather, honey, toasty, truffles and vanilla flavours. The finish is long, round, lingering, pure and spicy. This wine is sexy, impressive and fine. I paid around 1k-3k€ a bottle. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 10-15 years and decant at least 2h before tasting. Good value for money.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Pomerol, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Very Good

Fake factory

There is a possibility

Glass time

1h

Inside Information

The 1989's dark ruby/purple color may have slightly more saturation than the 1990. The wine reveals a sweet, roasted herb, coconut, and jammy black currant-scented nose with plenty of smoky new oak. Full-bodied, with massive concentration, huge layers of glycerin, and more noticeable tannin than is found in the 1990, this is a fabulous and fascinating wine, as well as one of extraordinary singularity. It is unquestionably a compelling wine. But is it worth the $4000-$6000 a bottle that top vintages of Le Pin were fetching at auctions in late 1997? Anticipated maturity: 1999-2012. Last tasted 12/96" Last tasted 10/95." Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition #B1 (Jan 1998)

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