Robert Parker: Made from 100% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Le Pin opens a little closed and
broody, slowly unfurling to offer notes of baked plums, Black Forest cake and raspberry pie with
touches of iron ore, crushed rocks, roses and star anise plus a waft of cardamom. Medium to
full-bodied, the palate delivers the most jaw-dropping, exquisitely ripe tannins with amazingly
seamless freshness and layer upon layer of red and black fruits, finishing with incredible energy
and depth. WOW!
18.5/ 20
Jancis Robinson
2017 Vintage
Tasted: Apr 2018
97/ 100
Robert Parker The Wine Advocate
2017 Vintage
Tasted: Mar 2020
98/ 100
Wine Spectator
2017 Vintage
Tasted: Mar 2020
About Winery
Château Le Pin
Bordeaux, France
Château Le Pin is a mini chateau in the Pomerol appellation on the right bank of the Bordeaux region. It is considered a cult estate and is highly sought-after by wine collectors. Its tiny production, averaging just 600-700 cases a year, commands even higher prices than Château Petrus, making it one of the most expensive wines in Bordeaux!
Madame Laubie and her family had owned this small vineyard since 1924, but sold it in 1979 to the Belgian Mr. Jacques Thienpont. At that time, the vineyard covered just one hectare. Today, the vineyard covers 2.7 hectares. The name derives from the two pine trees that grow on the estate, near the winery. The vineyard is planted almost exclusively with Merlot, with just a touch of Cabernet Franc, and the average age of the vines is almost 40 years.
In 2003, no Le Pin was produced due to the heatwave. The wines are extremely lush, concentrated and sometimes "exotic", and are drinkable very early on. All grapes are hand-picked and aged in new oak for 14 to 18 months.
A new high-tech winery was inaugurated in 2011. They even produce a second wine called "Trilogie" in even smaller quantities. The price of this second wine easily exceeds that of most other Pomerols produced, averaging €400 a bottle. Although Le Pin doesn't have a long history, they have produced some exceptional wines, especially over the last two decades.