Chateau Le Pin - Le Pin - Ex Chateau 2016

ANTONIO GALLONI:"The 2016 Le Pin has a very elegant, refined bouquet of pure brambly red fruit, rose petal and crushed stone aromas that unfurl beautifully in the glass; the oak is very well integrated. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and lithe, with a vibrant, structured finish. This was already one of Jacques Thienpont’s best vintages in recent years, but you know what? It might be getting even better. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting."

DECANTER:"I tasted through a blend of five barrels, but they may not be the final ones. There is significant gravel in the Le Pin soils, so they suffered a little from the heat, but the Merlot still has incredible finesse and elegance. The astonishing thing is the grilled, smoked damson and ripe wild blackberry and hawthorn perfume that rises out of the glass effortlessly. This wine is deft, elegant, and rich.

JAMES SUCKLING:"I am spellbound by the aromas of crushed blackberries, licorice, black tea and violets. It’s full-bodied yet so intense and linear. Powerful tannins with superb polish and focus give an amazing texture. Complex and fascinating flavors of hazelnuts and dark fruit. The balance and strength is uncanny. Perfect wine. Very direct and superb. Try after 2025."

JANCIS ROBINSON:"Tasted blind. Rich, dense, reverberant. Lots going on there! Tastes as though it were biodynamic. Really builds on the finish."

JEB DUNNUCK:"From Jacques Thienpont and a true superstar in the vintage, the 2016 Le Pin comes from a tiny vineyard of old vine Merlot and is raised all in new barrels. One of those magical wines that marries power with elegance perfectly, its saturated purple color is followed by a thrilling array of sweet kirsch, crème de cassis, graphite, toasty oak, and Asian spices. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness and depth as well as an incredible mid-palate, it stays ethereal and elegant, with flawless tannins, awesome purity, and a blockbuster of a finish. The sexiest, kinkiest, most opulent wine in the vintage? I’d say yes. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-6 years, count yourself very lucky, and drink bottles over the following 3+ decades."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER:"Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine offers citrus, roses, plum, cocoa and wild cherries as soon as your nose draws close to the glass. Silky, sweet, polished, this is not a wine of density. It is a wine of purity, refinement, complexity, elegance, opulence and with time, it may border on decadence. The harvest took place from October 4 to October 8. The wine reached 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.72."

THE WINEADVOCATE:"The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Le Pin is still very closed, revealing glimpses of preserved plums, blackberry pie and raspberry compote plus suggestions of potpourri, star anise, tobacco, fenugreek and stewed tea plus a waft of hoisin. The medium-bodied palate is opulent, rich and plush with layers of black and red fruit preserves and loads of exotic spice accents, finishing very long and very decadent."

WEINWISSER:"100 % Merlot, 28 hl/ha, 14,5 vol %. Was für ein Bouquet, diese Würze ist einfach unverkennbar: Wacholder, Minze, rote Pflaumen, Sauerkirschen und rote Johannisbeere, aber auch fleischige Noten kommen auf. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit festem Tanningerüst, komplex und so tiefgründig, wie es nur dieser Pomerol sein kann. Dazu gesellen sich duftige Specknoten und aromatische Datteln, im sehr langen Finale mit ungeheurem Tiefgang – so schmeckt nur Le Pin. Eine der wenigen Fassproben, die ich NICHT ausgespuckt habe!"

WINESPECTATOR:"This provides a pure, almost distilled note of raspberry ganache from start to finish, fleshy in feel, with a light brambly accent adding subtle, pulsating energy throughout. Black tea detail, a hint of warm gravel and mouthwatering black licorice nuances fill in through the finish, which has a beguiling feel. Best from 2022 through 2038."