le Pin - Pomerol 2016 b5952cb1c3ab96cb3c8c63cfb3dccaca

Jeb DUNNUCK

99 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/1/2019

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.

Wine Spectator

97 / 100

byJames Molesworththe2/5/2019

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.   –JM

Jamessuckling.com

100 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/4/2019

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.

Vinous

97 / 100

byNeal Martinthe1/24/2019

The 2016 Le Pin was cropped at 28hl/ha and bottled at the end of June 2018. Fiona Morrison opined that the rain from January to June suited Le Pin’s gravelly soils, perhaps more than the previous vintage. This has an extremely pure, nuanced bouquet that unfolds swirl by swirl, revealing black cherries, crushed violet petals, hints of raspberry coulis and a touch of vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well focused and almost symmetrical. The 14.5° alcohol is one of the highest levels for Le Pin, though it is completely disguised. There is firm structure and grip to the uncharacteristically masculine finish that suggests it will require several years in bottle.

Vinous

99 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe1/21/2019

The 2016 Le Pin is an extraordinarily beautiful vivid wine. Seamless, racy and voluptuous in the glass, the 2016 is a flat-out stunner. Nothing in particular stands out because all of the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of captivating, transcendental beauty, Le Pin has it all. Rose petal, red cherry, mint, blood orange and wild flowers all build in the glass, but it is the wine's breathtaking finesse and elegance that stand out most. What a gorgeous, arrestingly beautiful wine this is.

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/30/2018

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.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/10/2017

Bettane & Desseauve

97 / 100

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/3/2017

Pour faire le 2016, on n’a conservé que le cœur du vignoble : le vin coule noir dans le verre, on en apprécie les accents de cerise noire et de violette que l’on retrouve au nez comme en bouche. La texture satinée se révèle merveilleuse et raffinée et elle tapisse délicatement le palais, c’est déjà très bon.

Wine Advocate

96-98 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/2/2017

The 2016 Le Pin was made from ten different lots from the usual six, because the drought affected the different parcels and vines needed separating (indicated by paint mark on the pole). It was cropped from 4 October, the first time that picking has begun that month, at 28-30 hectoliters per hectare and there is 14.5% alcohol. It has a fresh and generous bouquet with red cherries, cranberry and pomegranate scents, the oak beautifully integrated, touches of black truffle and even a hint of smoke tucked in just underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, tightly wound and taut, with a stunning sense of focus. I cannot remember a Le Pin with such tension and detail at this early juncture, perhaps even quite understated towards the saline finish, but very very precise. This is a sophisticated Le Pin from Jacques Thienpont, one that I am certain will age with style. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

The Wine Cellar Insider

98-100 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2017

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. 

Vinous

97-100 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/26/2017

The 2016 Le Pin is a total stunner. Dark, rich, and textured, it possesses breathtaking intensity and is sure to thrill those fortunate enough to find it. Pomegranate, blood orange, wildflowers, rose petals and sweet baking spices infuse the huge, voluptuous finish.

matthewjukes.com

19 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/25/2017

(100 Merlot) | 100% new oak | 14.5% alc. | 28 hl/ha. | 67 IPT Very smooth, very layered and amazingly plush, this vintage has masses of finesse thanks to the water retention of the soils and also the overall tension and weight of the wine. Not a heavyweight but exceptionally concentrated and there is a sourness and bitterness which cuts through the heart of this flamboyant creature giving it a dramatic flair and also a very long finish. Stunning and memorable. 19+

Decanter.com

98 / 100

byJane Ansonthe4/24/2017

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. A naturally low yield of 28hl/ha due to the drought, with a pH of 3.72. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

Jancis Robinson

19 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/21/2017

Glowing crimson. Smudgy sweet ink on the nose. Very pure nose. Lifted and lively and real energy. Round and quite delicate and burgundian. Real drive and elegance and polish. This is a real winner! 

Jamessuckling.com

99-100 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2017

There is something decadent and wild about this Le Pin. Medium to full body, yet somehow wild and crazy— exotic. What a finish! This is real Le Pin. The dry weather reduced the production. 18 hectoliters. Reminds me of the unique 1986. Yeah...!