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  • Country ranking ?

    1 164
  • Producer ranking ?

    32
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • 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 1994

Bordeaux Vintage Report 1994 / After a mild winter, spring brought heavy rain and frost which significantly damaged the vineyards. After a stormy start to the summer, the weather calmed down and changed very favorably for the latter part of the vintage. The harvest took place in good conditions and the vintage ended moderately to even good. The wines are perfectly pleasant today.

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Tasting note

color

Deep

ending

Medium

flavors

Cranberry, Blackcurrant, Pepper, Cigar-box, Leather and Chocolate

nose

Open, Complex, Seductive and Tempting

taste

Average in Acidity

Verdict

Well-rounded and Fine

Written Notes

The 1994 Le Pin had a dirty nose in a leathery way, maybe a bit corky? The fruit was stewed in this earthy nose with a hint of black cherry coming out. There were pleasant green and purple plum flavors, but this was definitely a bit corked with dry tannins, earth and corky leather on the finish. There was a good sturdy wine underneath that gained in the glass, however. It was Jacques’ favorite of the flight, and ‘one of the wines of the vintage for many’.
  • 91p

Magnum. Le Pin was another of Roy and Mark's finds (see All about Roy). The youth and deep crimson of this wine (magnums selling for a mere £3,000) came as a bit of a jolt. Owner Jacques Thienpont had come over from Belgium specially, and made a pretty speech at the end in praise of Roy. Strong balsam nose, then high-toned spiciness and a bit of sweetness – though overall this vintage is firmer and drier than many. 

  • 90p

Deep ruby, very thin garnet rim. Very intense and complex, truffles, mushrooms, forest floor, paprika, leather, minerals, hint of cigars, great balance, fresh acidity, great texture, ripe tannins, the texture makes them hard to notice somehow, starting to evolve, perfect now and in the next 10 years. Very elegant, and at least in this vintage, nothing like a Parker monster as one could expect, a bit short finish if I'm picky. 93

  • 93p

Elegant and sophisticated, surprisingly á point ripeness of the fruit (sweetness), great balance and fine aftertaste. Complete wine, rich and enchanting.

  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Pomerol, Bordeaux
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