2018 Le Pin
By Chateau Le Pin
2018 Le Pin from Chateau Le Pin, Pomerol, Bordeaux
In the esteemed realm of Pomerol, the 2018 vintage of Le Pin from Chateau Le Pin imparts a narrative as rich and nuanced as its revered terroir. This particular year unfurls a tapestry of climatic idiosyncrasy, where Bordeaux saw an extraordinary amalgam of conditions that sculpted its crops into wines of profound distinction.
2018: A Vintage Carved by Contrast
The season was a vigneron's odyssey—a tale of two halves. Torrential spring rains threatened with fears of mildew, only to be thwarted by a steadfast summer whose aridity was reminiscent of the storied 2005 vintage. The shift was stark; the vines, resilient. This oscillation betwixt extremes forged grapes with exceptional concentration, mirroring the adversity from which they emerged. It is this very crucible that defined the singularity of 2018 Le Pin.
A Masterful Mélange: The Essence of Fine Wine Investment
Belying the tumultuous seasonal progression, 2018 Le Pin flows with a composed complexity that belies its youth. The bouquet is an aromatic promenade through a bordelaise garden—truffles nestle amongst black cherries and plums, escorted by whispering hints of violet and cocoa. In the glass, the palate is greeted with sumptuous layers that marry power with elegance—a testament to its meticulous assemblage.
With an opulent texture that coats and invites the senses to linger, this Bordeaux blend commands attention yet exhibits enough finesse to create a thoroughly ensnaring experience. Investors will appreciate both its immediate allure and its patient promise of evolution—a dual nature wherein lies its investment gravitas.
In conclusion, the 2018 vintage at Chateau Le Pin encapsulates that rare convergence where an inimitable year imprints itself upon the canvas woven by generations of viticultural mastery. For connoisseurs and investors alike, 2018 Le Pin possesses both a storied provenance and a future ripe with potential—an embodiment of vinous fortitude and artistry.
Market price (CAD)
$45,330.00
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
1513.33
Scores and tasting notes
The density and texture to this Le Pin is very surprising. It’s tannic and intense with an angular and stony-mineral undertone. Full-bodied yet energetic and edgy. Great structure. Reminds me of the great 1986.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
The 2018 Le Pin is made of 100% Merlot, picked the last week of September with yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has a pH of 3.7, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 70 and 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little reserved to begin, offering glimpses of tar, fertile loam and truffles with slowly emerging notes of baked black cherries, stewed plums, mulberries and underbrush plus hints of black pepper, hoisin and chargrill with a waft of garrigue. Full-bodied, the palate is loaded with taut, muscular fruit and heaps of earthy accents, with a firm frame of ripe, rounded tannins and just enough seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully savory.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23 April 2019
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.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
The 2018 Le Pin is dense, rich and seductive, with all of the textural richness that is such a signature. Le Pin is, of course, 100% Merlot fermented entirely in new oak. There is a touch of new wood in the en primeur sample that needs time to fully assimilate, which I expect will not be a problem over time. More than anything else, I am impressed with the wine's freshness and overall energy. The 2018 comes in 14.5% alcohol, the highest ever here, and yet that is not especially evident. A closing burst of floral overtones and red/purplish berry fruit leaves a lasting impression.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019