Le Pin's evolved 1997 displays complex aromatics consisting of roasted coffee, smoke, Provencal herbs, sweet kirsch liqueur, and black cherry fruit. In the mouth, the wine is round, with a velvety texture, low acidity, and excellent concentration and length. It is a succulent, juicy, captivating style of wine to consume during its first 10-11 years of life.

Lot #1: Good medium red. Floral aromas of cassis and raspberry. Creamy-sweet, with an almost eau de vie-like sappy quality. Very long and spicy, with sound underlying structure for this wine. From young vines (just a portion of this juice will go into the final blend): Minerally and smoky on the nose. Less dense and creamy in the mouth, but quite harmonious. Lot #3, from the estate oldest vines (comprising 35% of the total): More saturated red-ruby. Sappy raspberry and chocolate nose shows a hint of surmaturite More sauvage black fruit aromas complicated by a note of cinnamon. By far the strongest component, and the most typical Le Pin. The blend should merit

Tasted at Bipin Desai’s Le Pin vertical in Los Angeles. The ’97 Le Pin has a pleasurable, well-defined nose with raspberry, wild strawberry and cranberry-scented nose – conservative and straight-laced. The palate has quite chewy entry with good acidity, relatively simple compared to other vintages and lacking some tension and poise. Notes of black cherries, redcurrants and hints of tobacco and dried herbs, but it is a Pomerol with just a single emotion, it does not and has no desire to take you, the taster, anywhere of interest. There were 567 cases produced. Drink now-2014. Tasted November 2008.