Le Pin 1996

Tasted at Bipin Desai’s Le Pin vertical in Los Angeles. A smaller crop: a paltry 360 cases to grace the world. It has a deep garnet core with a tawny/deep brick rim. The nose has a softness to it, some sous-bois aromas coming through and with gentle swirling touches of mint and then with extended aeration, some dried coconut. The palate is medium-bodied, well defined with fine tannins, just a little greenness in the middle, notes of black cherries and a little Doris plum. Quite foursquare towards the finish with some leafy, tobacco notes right on the finish. Not a top-tier Le Pin, but my style of “classic” Pomerol that would partner cuisine with aplomb. Drink now-2016. Tasted November 2008.

Like many 1996 Pomerols, there is a certain austerity to the tannins, and the wines are not as generous and voluminous as they would be from a great right bank vintage like 1998 or 2000. Nevertheless, this is a top-notch example, more structured than usual, but still has the exotic notes of melted chocolate, roasted espresso, a hint of coconut, and a plethora of jammy black fruits. Relatively supple, even for the vintage, this flamboyant, medium-bodied wine shows superb ripeness, purity, and overall balance with a bit of dry tannin in the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020. Last tasted, 5/02.