x
  • Country ranking ?

    1 029
  • Producer ranking ?

    29
  • Decanting time

    1h
  • When to drink

    Now
  • Food Pairing

    Beef

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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 1988

The first of a trio of great vintages and which was rather overshadowed by the 89s and 90s. Certainly the most "classic" of the trio, with many wines which are not overtly fruit-focused, but which have levels of extract and concentration which make them perfect candidates for prolonged storage.

The first half of the year was exceptionally cold and wet and the vintage was saved by a long, dry and hot summer. Harvest began in mid-September and some cabernets were not picked until the 3rd week of October. Most wines are now approaching their plateau of maturity, with the choice of the bunch being the Cabernet-dominated Médocs and Graves. Pauillac was particularly successful.

 

 

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Tasting note

recommend

Yes

Verdict

Sophisticated and Well made

Written Notes

The 1988 Le Pin had a creamy nose; it was easy to detect a step up here. There were more classic Pomerol elements - nice garden, spice, elegant purple fruits, smoke and grilled pheasant. The soft and tender palate had great balance. It was very refined with the lightest of grit on the finish…elegant city.
  • 92p

Serious right bank Bordeaux here. Sweet fruit with a smooth earthy edge. The palate shows more sweet fruit with a bright expressive character and a bit of leafiness. It’s a midweight wine that is fluently expressive, with a lightness to its personality. Very good/excellent 94/100

  • 94p

Very deep with a lot of chocolate and sweet fruit on the nose, what a complexity. Dense packed, compact, very concentrated with plenty of perfectly ripe and sweet fruit. Exceptional wine and what a potential it has!. Matches easily vintages 1990 and 1989.

  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Pomerol, Bordeaux
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