Chateau Le Pin 1997
Review of the EstateChateau Le Pin, or simply Le Pin, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The unusually small estate is located on the Right Bank of France’s Gironde estuary in the commune of Pomerol near the hamlet of Catusseau, Chateau Le Pin is frequently one of the world's most expensive red wines. Madame Laubie, whose family had owned Chateau Le Pin since 1924 sold the one hectare vineyard in 1979 to the Belgian Jacques Thienpont for 1 million francs. The vineyards were developed by Jacques Thienpont whose family own the neighbouring Vieux Chateau Certan, and the wine at Chateau Le Pin was produced in tiny quantities from a farmhouse basement. The property was already called Le Pin from a solitary pine tree that grows near the winery. Today the estate comprises 2,7 hectares in one contiguous vineyard surrounding the winery. In 2011 a new winery, designed by the Belgian architectural practice Robbrecht en Daem architecten, was inaugurated using small microcuves and gravity to move Chateau Le Pin wine. Chateau Le Pin is considered by some a predecessor of the "garage wines", although this idea is rejected by many, including by the proprietors, on the basis of the merits of the terroir, and the absence of extreme measures to compensate for mediocre grapes. Chateau Le Pin occasionally the most expensive wine in the world, continually receiving high wine ratings from wine critics and produced in extremely small numbers, Chateau Le Pin bottles are a constant presence on the wine auction market. The winery is currently managed by Jacques Thienpont, and additional tiny plots of land have been acquired. Chateau Le Pin is among the clients of the oenologist Dany Rolland, wife of Michel Rolland.
VineyardSurface area: 5 acres Grape Varieties: 92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc Average age of vines: 28 years Density of plantation: 6,000 vines per hectare Average yields: 34 hectoliters per hectare Average cases produced: 600 per year Plateau of maturity: 8 - 25 years |
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![]() | Robert Parker Le Pin 1997 ReviewScore: 86 Points Le Pin’s 1997 reveals an excessive amount of oak for the concentration of fruit. The wine possesses sweet currant and cherry fruit, abundant toasty oak, and a seductive style, but the oak is elevated. It will probably not last long enough for the wood to become fully integrated. Or, am I wrong about that? Anticipated maturity: now-2008. *** Le Pin’s evolved 1997 displays complex aromatics consisting of roasted coffee, smoke, Provencal herbs, sweet kirsch liqueur, and black cherry fruit. In the mouth, the wine is round, with a velvety texture, low acidity, and excellent concentration and length. It is a succulent, juicy, captivating style of wine to consume during its first 10-11 years of life. Score: 86 |
Chateau Le Pin 1997 Recent Price History
Prices below are sourced from wine-searcher.com
Wine | Vintage | July 2008 Value Per Case | July 2013 Value Per Case | Value Increase | Percentage Increase |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Le Pin | 1997 | £7,992 | £13,992 | £6,000 | 75.08% |
Chateau Le Pin Wine List
Bordeaux Investment Wines - Chateau Le Pin 1997 Review