Tasting Notes
Antonio Galloni 100
The 2020 Le Pin is magnificent. What a wine. Seamless and exotic, the 2020 races across the palate with sumptuous dark fruit and a whole range of rose petal, spice and hard candy overtones that build into the explosive mid-palate and finish. I especially admire how the 2020 opens with some aeration. New oak is down from 100% to 70%, which really allows the purity of the fruit to shine through. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare, down from the more typical 35 or so, but overall production for Le Pin in bottles is much lower, as about only half of the vineyards were used. The rest went into the second wine, with the exception of a small parcel that is being redeveloped. In short: What more can I ask from a wine? Nothing.
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060
Neal Martin 95
The 2020 Le Pin has a more backward and primal bouquet than its peers. It opens with scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, violet and seamlessly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins that frame the pure black fruit tinged with orange rind and minerals. Slightly confit-like fruit emerges toward the finish. This is a very serious 2022 Pomerol that may well merit a higher score in due course. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060
