Le Pin 2006

Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. Since conception this has been a riveting Le Pin from Jacques Thienpont that vied with the ’05 for the upper hand. Here it has a bombastic, take no prisoners, almost exotic bouquet that is still showing a lot of puppy fat, though it calms down with aeration. Excellent delineation with aromas of macerated black cherries, fresh prune, fruitcake and cassis. The palate is rich and decadent, very supple tannins, well balanced, generous and voluptuous with a rounded silky texture towards the decadent, yet controlled finish. It is demonstrating less mineralite than previous bottles, but that will reappear once the sands of time have abraded this Le Pin down. Forget the price, just a gorgeous bottle of wine. Tasted January 2010.

Exotic, as it often can be, with super-ripe mulberry and black cherry fruit to the point of near-kirsch liqueur, with notes of licorice, truffle, and forest floor, this is a full-bodied, concentrated wine with a slight tannic bite to the finish. There is good freshness, depth, and power, and despite the flamboyant aromatics, this wine needs a good 3-5 years of cellaring and should keep for 15 or more years.