Chateau Le Pin 2018

This is extremely good, expansive and luxurious with a stunning texture – vibrant and powerful, and a floral side that becomes clear as it opens in the glass, lifting the whole thing not through acidity but through aromatics. The real difference with Le Pin and other 100% Merlot wines is the sumptuousness through the mid palate, it’s so wide and rich, you can’t just walk over it but lie down on it, feather pillow style. They had a yield of 30hl/ha, mainly due to thicker than usual skins with some concentration at the finish, and added a selected rather than indigenous yeast to deal with the alcohol levels. 3.7Ph. 70IPT. 2019, by the way, is the 40th anniversary vintage here for the Thienponts.

The blackberries, iron shavings and black olives on the nose are captivating. Full-bodied with lots of toffee and smoky undertones to the ripe and round tannins. Very exciting and flavorful with softness and beauty. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.

Tasting the 2018 Le Pin from barrel, I was intrigued by its Left Bank–like personality on the nose. Now in bottle, though it is not as obvious as before, it still flirts with Médocian traits thanks to its very attractive, very subtle graphite and marine scents. It has wonderful delineation, pixelated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied and demonstrates a touch more tannic spine. Wonderfully focused and detailed, maybe a touch spicier than recent vintages, with disarming harmony and effortlessness. It is self-aware that it is a great Le Pin.

Deep dark ruby, purple glints, delicately brighter at the rim. Tobacco underlaid with savoury wood tones, blackberries, a little liquorice, mocha and dark cherries. Full-bodied, sweet expression, vividness with well-rounded tannins, and lovely savoury herb nuances. Mineral and crisp reverberations.

Kunz Fassprobe 19: (100% Merlot, 30 hl/ha, 14.5% vol. alcohol) A concentrated, complex, fresh, sensual bouquet with strawberry jelly, mint, raspberries, flint, subtle caramel and vanilla powder. On the palate, finely concentrated and multi-layered, elegant and finely fruity, with a powerful, diverse, gently sweet aromatic profile, creamy, delicate fruit, a tightly knit structure, fine tannins, and a very long, subtly opulent finish with many sweet echoing notes. Can still improve further.

(100% Merlot, 30 hl/ha, 14.5% alc. by vol.) A concentrated, complex, fresh and sensuous bouquet, with strawberry jelly, mint, raspberries, flint, delicate caramel notes and vanilla powder. The palate is finely concentrated and layered, with precise, elegant fruit, a powerful, multifaceted and sweetly toned aromatic profile, creamy, refined fruit, a tightly knit, dense structure, fine tannins, and a very long, subtly opulent finish with many sweet aromatic echoes. Can still gain in complexity. 19/20 2025 - 2055

Le Pin 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It opens with notions of cedar, blackcurrants, and plum preserves, giving way to sandalwood, anise, and dried roses, plus a hint of cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is very perfumed and elegant, with layer upon layer of black fruits and exotic spices plus ultra-plush tannins and seamless acidity, finishing very long and fragrant. WOW.

This Merlot has a Pinot-like character, with an aromatic intensity dominated by violet and a beautifully charming, satiny texture.

The 2018 reveals great finesse, subtlety and complexity. Inviting fruity and mineral notes with striking precision. Hints of raspberries and cherries. The attack is broad, intense, racy and compact. Despite this rather demonstrative opening, Le Pin manages to show finesse and to create a symbiosis between richness and delicacy. However, I have rarely tasted a Le Pin that is so powerful, even full-bodied. Whereas it is usually in a more “

Logo on the cork: AL