Le Pin 2009

Picked 22 and 25 Sep just after the rain (deluge 19 and 20 Sep) so 'more water in the wine'. Nice fragrance. Deckchair vintage. Lively and fresh and not obviously rich Merlot. Rain revived the vines. Very suave and lush. Very refreshing, rather feminine. Plush and flattering and really quite delicate. Polished and not at all heavy. This could be a standout Le Pin, I think. Date tasted 30th March 2010. Drink 2015-2030.

Delivering pure, unadulterated essence of raspberry throughout, this also features silky-textured tannins that build and build as the wine courses along. Lilting black tea and toasty vanilla bean aromas weave in and out. Primal and complex. Fantastic mouthfeel and length. Best from 2015 through 2035. From France.-J.M.

There are some lovely fragrances on the nose all quite red fruited. The fruit is concentrated, fleshly rich, black plum and cassis. Layers of flavour give complexity, freshness is there balancing the opulent mid power with towards the back a lighter feel giving it a sleek elegance. Drink 2020-2045.

There will be an almighty scramble to buy the 7,000 bottles of the 2009 Le Pin, even at what is sure to be very high price. The wine is a brilliant example of skilfully tamed exuberance, with notes of Asian spices and cedar wood on the nose and elegant, almost Ribera del Duero-like flavours. This is poised and refreshing. Drinkable young, but with the concentration to age. 15+ years

Very seductive and gourmand. Ripe, red fruit and spice. Burgundian in character. Rich and concentrated but with lift and freshness. Plenty of charm. As good, if not better than the excellent 2001. Drink 2018-2035.

Very rich and lush, but also extremely refined, this has a lightness of touch that some top Pomerols of the vintage lack. That has a lot to do with the stunningly fine tannins that glide through the long super-fine finish. Better than ever. Drink or hold (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)

A great classic, the 2009 Le Pin (100% Merlot) displays unreal density and a profound flavor profile, but also reveals good structure and elegance. Even though it is aged in 100% new oak, no wood is detectable, which is a tip off to what we are dealing with in the most extraordinary 2009s. The oak and tannins are often totally unnoticeable because of the sheer magnitude and mass of fruit and glycerin. This 2009, made in the style of the 1982, should drink well for 25 or more years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2010-2035.

Picked on 22nd and 25th September from younger vines and then older, a blend assembled by Jacques Thienpont direct from barrel, delivering 13.5% alcohol and a pH 3.7, the '09 Le Pin has a very pure lifted bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, a touch of black plum and a hint of truffle. The palate is full-bodied with quite sinewy tannins, just a little aggression at the moment, which will be softened during elevage. A compact Le Pin at the moment, quite linear and strict towards the finish then a hint of spice on the aftertaste. I feel that this is not showing its best at the moment, but it should meld together nicely by the time of bottling. Tasted April 2010.

This is classic Merlot from Pomerol on the nose, with black licorice, black olive and rich fruit. Yet it's subtle and pretty. Full-bodied, and chewy, with loads of power. Tannic and muscular. Chocolate, coffee and vanilla bean. I can't remember a Le Pin like this. You'd have to go back to 1986, or 1983.