It is precisely wines such as Le Pin that have not only made Pomerol on the right bank one of the most prestigious appellations in Bordeaux, but have also contributed to the worldwide reputation of Bordeaux wines over the past decades.
Le Pin has been a true legend for many years. But how did it come about? What makes this wine so special? How does it taste? And why is it so expensive?
We will now address all these questions here.
Both! Officially, the winery is called Château Le Pin. And the Grand Vin bears the name of the winery. As with Petrus, however, the owners of Le Pin decided to omit the term Château from the label in order to focus on the wine itself rather than the business behind it. Incidentally, the name derives from the two pine trees that grow near the wine cellar. However, the wine cellar – like the château – was not actually built until long after the first Le Pin vintage had seen the light of day. Normally, it's always the other way around. In this case, however, there is a very special decision behind it, which we will examine in more detail in the next question.
Thanks to the prestige of Château Le Pin, one might think that the winery is hundreds of years old. But that is far from the truth! In fact, the history of Le Pin only began in 1927, when Madame Loubie acquired a small vineyard of just one hectare. This was to be the foundation for what would later become Le Pin. However, this was not under Madame Loubie, who spent her life making wine from the grapes, but it did not yet have the legendary Le Pin charisma.
When Madame Loubie died, the Belgian Thienpont family bought the small vineyard. It was a logical decision, as the family already owned the neighbouring Vieux Château Certan. Instead of simply incorporating the vineyard into his estate, Jacques Thienpont decided to make it into a wine in its own right. That was the real birth of Le Pin. The first vintage was 1979.
That one hectare has now grown to just under five hectares. However, the grapes for Le Pin's Grand Vin actually come from just under two hectares. These consist of the original vineyard acquired by the Thienponts in 1970. In 1984, the family purchased a 0.3-hectare neighbouring plot and, a year later, additional plots totalling 0.65 hectares. It is precisely this vineyard area, spread over seven contiguous plots, that still forms the basis for the legendary Grand Vin from Pomerol.
Most of the vineyard is dedicated to the red Merlot grape, which is also the heart, soul and backbone of the Grand Vin. It's easy to forget that the plots are not 100% Merlot, but ‘only’ 92%. The remaining 8% is dedicated to Cabernet Franc, which gives Le Pin its structure. The vines are on average 40 years old and are therefore deeply rooted in the challenging soil.
Pomerol is home to a high plateau that is legendary throughout the world. As everywhere else in the appellation, the soil here consists of a thick layer of gravel and sand, with clay underneath. This combination is called ‘Crasse de fer’. However, there are two significant differences between the plateau and the rest of Pomerol. Firstly, the clay layer is significantly deeper.
In order to benefit from the heavy soil, the vines must therefore root deeper. This means that they automatically ‘suck’ more of what we commonly define as part of the terroir. In other words, the taste of its origin. Secondly, and this is actually crucial, the plateau soil contains numerous iron inclusions. It is precisely these that give the Merlot that thrives here its incredibly deep and complex radiance. Terroir at its best, so to speak.
When it comes to the vinification of Château Le Pin's Grand Vins, it cannot be emphasised enough that manual labour is very important here and is absolutely paramount. This starts, of course, with natural and sustainable cultivation. The Thienpont family has refrained from using pesticides from the outset and uses only natural techniques for soil cultivation. The grapes are, of course, harvested exclusively by hand and carefully selected so that only the best grapes are pressed as gently and carefully as possible. The grapes are then fermented in small batches to preserve their individual aromas. And yes, that really is a special feature.
Fermentation now takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and no longer in barriques, as was the case in the early days. However, the wine is then transferred to barriques for ageing. This lasts for at least 18 months, as is customary in Bordeaux. However, it can sometimes be as long as 24 months, depending on the vintage. Initially, the barriques were completely new. Nowadays, ‘only’ 50% new wood is used, with the other barrels being second-use. Jacques Thienpont and his cousin Alexandre, who not only joined the family business but now also lives at Château Le Pin, are advised by Dany Rolland – the wife of legendary oenologist Michel Rolland, who is no less talented than her husband.
Several factors have come together to ensure that Le Pin has become a true icon in a very short space of time. First, of course, there is the exceptional quality. This forms the absolute foundation. Without it, such lasting success would not be possible. But it is this quality combined with the fact that the first vintage of Le Pin was produced in only tiny quantities without its own winery. This made Le Pin in 1979 the very first of the so-called ‘garage wines’. In other words, the first wine of phenomenal quality, characterised by very low yields per hectare and an exceptionally high expression of terroir. And, of course, the tiny production quantities. But that's not all.
The status of a novelty and a rarity may help to make it famous. However, Le Pin only really became an icon thanks to numerous high international wine ratings. To this day, Le Pin receives a veritable shower of points year after year. With one exception – the 2003 vintage. Due to the extremely hot summer, which caused the vines to suffer too much to produce good quality grapes, the Thieponts decided not to vinify any wine that year. For them, quality is still the top priority.
Well, try to describe the charisma of an icon in words and capture its soul in the process! But okay, we'll take on the challenge. In general, a Le Pin shines with fruity notes of wild blueberries, blackberries and black cherries. These are usually accompanied by floral notes of violets or a hint of lilac. This varies from vintage to vintage. Equally distinctive are nuances of aniseed, clove, cigar box and menthol. As if that weren't diverse enough, the real strength of this wine lies in its texture. It is silky and powerful at the same time, dancing and indulgent, dense yet delicate, profoundly complex, but also slightly springy and supple.
It is precisely these varied contrasts that make Le Pin so special. When you enjoy it, time seems to stand still. It is just you and the wine, which completely captivates you. Only truly great wines can achieve this! A Le Pin can easily mature for 20 years, becoming greater and greater. But the amazing thing is that it is already accessible and a great pleasure to drink when young. A truly exceptional wine.
It's hard to believe that the 1979 Le Pin cost the equivalent of just 150 euros when it was launched. Nowadays, such prices are nothing but a dream. Le Pin has long since moved from the three-digit to the four-digit price range. On the one hand, this is of course due to the general price spiral that began in the 1980s, when legendary wine critic Robert Parker's ratings brought worldwide attention and prestige to Bordeaux wines. This price spiral is now on the decline. And yes, Le Pin is now also somewhat ‘cheaper’.
However, it is still far from cheap. The Grand Vin is still very much in the four-figure range. But this is not only due to its reputation as a legendary wine, but also to its very limited availability. Only 600 cases are usually released each year. Sometimes more, sometimes less. That's about 8,000 bottles. And these are bottles that wine lovers usually can't get their hands on because they sell out so quickly. You're lucky if you manage to get hold of one of these rare bottles.
Since 2012 – the very year in which the new wine cellar was inaugurated – wine lovers have been able to enjoy the second wine ‘Trilogie’. The name might suggest that Merlot and Cabernet Franc are complemented by a third red grape variety in ‘Trilogie’. But that's not the case. The name actually comes from the fact that the second wine is a multi-vintage blend. This means that grapes from three vintages are used in each wine. This was also a unique process in Bordeaux at the time. Typical Le Pin.
Only tiny quantities of the ‘Trilogie’ are released onto the market. And, of course, this wine has long since become a cult wine, priced in the mid to upper three-figure range. But it is also a wine that showcases the strengths of the Pomerol terroir regardless of the vintage. A real sensation that every passionate wine lover should definitely try at least once.
