This is the essence of Le Pin with incredible silk texture and beautiful fruit. A berry, sweet-tobacco, chocolate and dusty undertone. It reminds me of many wonderful and underrated Le Pins of the 1980s like 1985 or 1986. What a wine. Better in 2018. But who can wait? Cystal clear. It’s like the 2001 that was always better than 2000.

Tobacco, floral, smoke, earth and ripe, juicy plum scents, the wine is concentrated rich and lush, with an exotic character that blends Mandarin orange dipped in chocolate with earthy and black cherries. The wine is sweet, lush, powerful, sexy and structured to age. Tasted May 2015

A beautiful wine, showing slate, crushed rock and pulses of minerality against the silky satiny texture that is signature of Le Pin and the classic brushed velvet tannins of Pomerol. Succulent, limbering up towards its drinking window but will power ahead for another few years. 32hl/h yield.

Intense raspberry confiture notes drive along, with ample dark spice, anise and singed wood accents. Shows lots of flesh, especially for the vintage. A light twinge of savory at the very end gives this nice lift. This has settled in nicely and is one of the stars of this Right Bank–favored vintage.—Non-blind Le Pin vertical (December 2015). Drink now through 2030. 502 cases made. — JM

A compelling, totally arresting wine, the 2012 Le Pin boasts superb texture, unctuousness and pure voluptuous beauty. The 2012 is effortless in the way it opens up in the glass, with generous sweet red cherry, plum, iron, smoke and licorice. Perhaps not as rich as some previous vintages, the 2012 is nevertheless racy and quite expressive, even at this early stage.A compelling, totally arresting wine, the 2012 Le Pin boasts superb texture, unctuousness and pure voluptuous beauty. The 2012 is effortless in the way it opens up in the glass, with generous sweet red cherry, plum, iron, smoke and licorice. Perhaps not as rich as some previous vintages, the 2012 is nevertheless racy and quite expressive, even at this early stage.

The 2012 Le Pin was tasted from magnum at the château. Showing a little bricking on the rim, it has a gorgeous bouquet with red fruit, rusty piping, black truffle and sandalwood, beautifully defined and quite ravishing. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is a very mellow Le Pin, lithe and beautifully focused with a fine bead of acidity. The finish has just a little warmth, but it caresses the mouth with a beguiling finish. Evolving beautifully.

(100% Merlot)
Deep, rich and intense like plum and beef stock. Palate has vibrancy and tension but extraordinary creamy texture. Smoky, velvety, complex and deeply fruited. Long, harmonious and perfectly balanced. It's an exquisite wine. Wow.

The 2012 Le Pin exhibits a surprisingly opaque purple color, moderately high tannin, deep mocha and jammy berry characteristics, unexpected headiness, an alcoholic blast and lots of glycerin and fruit. This beauty should come into its own in 4-5 years, and last for 15 or more. This 100% Merlot cuvee is a fresher, lighter-styled effort than this estate’s blockbuster 2009 and 2010, but it is surprisingly intense with plenty of weight, clout and class. Yields were a tiny 30 hectoliters per hectare (due to poor flowering and excessive drought), and the wine was produced from fruit harvested between October 2 and 5.

(100% merlot; 32 h/H; IPT 77; g/l total acidity; ph 3.8;13.5% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of blackberry, flowers and chocolatey torrefaction. Bright and fresh in the mouth, with sweet black cherry and violet flavors that carry through nicely on the persistent back end. Finishes with slightly tight tannins that will need time to resolve. Although I love this wine's purity, I found this version of Le Pin to be noticeably less intense than the best recent vintages. Perhaps the elevage will help flesh it out a bit.

(Very uneven flowering, especially and typically for the older Merlot vines. Very very late harvest (1-3 October). 32 hl/ha, TA 3.3 g/l (sulphuric, ie 5.05 g/l tartaric), pH 3.8, IPT 77. New anti-fraud authentication device. Overall volume 10% down on 2011.)
Deep dark cherry colour. Extreme fruit purity, crunchy and deep, with a mineral edge and light earthiness to counteract the fruit sweetness. Generous but not fat or slouching. Shows its origin, the well-drained gravel soils, not just the high quality of the fruit. Dry finish but not at all drying. Long and delicious. Very hard to spit even though it is a little after 10 am. Drink 2017-2027 (JH) 13.5%