Log in for prices and ordering
Situated on the edge of the Pomerol plateau, Jacques Thienpont’s Le Pin is the stuff of legend. 100% Merlot, Le Pin comes from a tiny vineyard purchased by Jacques Thienpont in 1979, which has been traded for princely sums ever since the 1982 vintage. This is a producer whose fame far outstrips their size. From a tiny 2.7-hectare plot of 40-year-old vines, Le Pin produces an average of 25 barrels, by far the most boutique of Bordeaux’s famous names.
The soils of Le Pin run 10 metres deep, containing a mixture of limestone, gravel and clay with a little sand. The soils are rich in iron oxide (crasse de fer), a mineral that Thienpont believes contributes to the wine’s renowned flavour profile.
On the style, Jane Anson writes, “in the glass, you get a seductive mix of velvety texture and rich floral aromatics. It is one of those wines that can stop a room with a sip, and even seasoned wine collectors blush like children when they see a bottle on the table.” And while the wine remains more precise and detailed than ever, each bottle still provides a decadent experience. In a word, hedonistic! As Andrew Jefford put it, “The wine’s style is, yes, exotic, voluptuous and sumptuous, just as Pomerol should be, but it is also pure, lyrical and accessible.”
Today, Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont manage the Estate with Jacques and Fiona Morrison’s children, William and George, who are increasingly involved. A cult wine, yes, but one that remains deeply connected to its vigneron roots.