98 Par Robert Parker
It is a toss-up as to whether Le Tertre-Roteboeuf, Lafleur, or Le Pin is Bordeaux's most exotic and kinky wine. Le Pin has taken on a mythical reputation, as evidenced by the absurdly stratospheric prices top vintages tend to fetch. There have been some great vintages of this wine, which possesses one of the most dramatic and ostentatious bouquets of any Bordeaux. Additionally, the micro-production of 500-600 cases guarantees a chic rarity that has also helped propel the price to astronomical levels. When it is great (1982, 1983, 1989, 1990, and 1995), Le Pin provides one of the most gloriously hedonistic mouthfuls of wine produced in Bordeaux. Critics of Le Pin feel it is too obvious, too tasty, and perhaps not as long-lived as its near-by neighbors of Petrus, Lafleur, and L'Evangile. Yet my experience suggests Le Pin improves significantly in the bottle. Tasted just before or just after bottling, the wine can often reveal a blatant, aggressive oakiness that dominates the wine's fruit. After 5-6 years of bottle age, the toasty, pain grillee aromas become less aggressive and better-integrated in the wine's personality. This has happened with every vintage to date. With that in mind, I am not surprised by just how splendidly the 1989 and 1990 have turned out. Both wines appeared in the blind tasting in the same series as Petrus, and they were not out-classed. The 1990 Le Pin is a point or two superior to the 1989, but at this level of quality, comparisons are indeed tedious. Both are exceptional vintages, and the scores could easily be reversed at other tastings. The 1989 is slightly tighter, with more noticeable tannin than the softer, lower-acid 1990. Both take flavor intensity and exoticism to the maximum. The huge, coconut, exotic spice, jammy black fruit, sweet, expansive flavors of these two vintages of Le Pin are to die for. The oak in both wines is more well-integrated than it was only a year ago, and thus the wines no longer seem disjointed. At present, the 1990 reveals a more expansive, chewier texture than the more firmly-structured 1989, but both wines are decadently rich, hedonistic, and opulently textured. I realize the pricing of Le Pin (can a top vintage of this wine really be selling at $4000 a bottle?) precludes most rational people from purchasing it, yet forgetting the hoopla and surreal pricing, these are great wines that are capable of two decades of cellaring. I would opt to drink them earlier rather than later. The 1990 should be drunk over the next 12-15 years .
19 Par Rene Gabriel
91: Fassdegustation auf dem "Château" (18/20): Kaffeerösttöne, Zedern, Trüffel, konzentriertes Fruchtaroma (Cassis). Im Gaumen fleischig, fast salzig im Extrakt, Biss und viele gesunde Tannine. Bedeutend konzentrierter als der 88er und der 89er und somit einer der grossen Le Pin-Jahrgänge. Rund eine Stunde nach dem 90er Pétrus degustiert: Die Struktur von Le Pin ist markiger mit weniger Souplesse. Dies könnte aber auch von der Struktur des Barriquenkorns herkommen, welches mir im Verhältnis zu der Finesse des Weines oft fast bourgeois erscheint. Arrivage (19/20): Was für eine Nase! Kaffeedüfte, exotische Gewürze, feine Kiefern- und Rosmarinnuancen, Eucalyptus. Sehr konzentriert, reich mit seidigem Fruchtextrakt, burgundische Töne. 1995 eine halbe Flasche von betörender, toastiger Süsse mit verführerischem Cassisduft. 1996 an der Eigensatz-Probe: Unter vielen anderen Weinen der Publikumsliebling: Sehr reifes, konzentriertes Fruchtbouquet, eine fein florale Würznote darin, rauchig dunkles Toasting darunter. Im Gaumen sehr fleischig, Glutamatspuren im Körper, das Extrakt verbindet sich mit den Gerbstoffen, im Finale betörend viel Waldhimbeeren und Cassis. Wiederum burgundisch im Jahr 1998: Hochintensives, fast pfeffriges Merlot-Fruchtbouquet; Maulbeeren, Preiselbeeren, schlank, aber intensiv. Im Gaumen elegant, superb balanciert, viel rotbeerige Frucht, fast an einen Richebourg erinnernd, zeigt noch immer gute Adstringenz, gewaltiges, druckvolles Finale. Im Dezember 1999 an der Arlberg-Probe: Umwerfendes, süsses Bouquet, feine Cornichonspuren darin, dann aber fette, opulente, marmeladige Frucht präsentierend, ein Hauch Kokos von den Barriquen; mineralisch, absolut delikat. Im Gaumen cremig, das Extrakt schmilzt nur so dahin, viel rotbeeriges Cassis, Himbeeren; weich und samtig mit einer bezaubernden Balance. Unter den 90er Giganten derjenige Wein, welchen man jetzt schon hemmungslos geniessen kann, viel burgundische Charakterzüge (Richebourg), im Finale ein Ausbund an Süsse. 00: Süsses, sanft faisandiertes Bouquet, Cornichons, Giandujanote; weit ausladend mit einer verschwenderischen, buttrigen Süsse. Burgundischer Gaumen mit berauschendem Merlot-Parfüm, Caramel, zarten Rauchnoten und ein herrlich süsser, noch primärer Fruchttouch von roten und blauen Beeren; lange nachklingend und absolut erotisch in seiner Ausstrahlung (19/20). 04: Dunkles Weinrot mit ersten, doch deutlich zu sehenden Reifenoten. Das Bouquet beginnt schokoladig und zeigt immer mehr die bereits früher festgestellte Merlot-Grünnote, darunter roter Holunder. Im Gaumen süss, sexy, schmeichelnd mit der typischen Le Pin-Erotik. Doch leider stelle ich immer mehr fest, dass er früher besser war und mit jedem neuen Kontakt weniger Frucht zeigt. (18/20). In den letzten zwei Jahren, zwei Mal am gleichen Ort getrunken. Immer mit den selben Freunden und immer ziemlich ausgelassen. Schokosüss mit leicht grünlichem Schimmer, Pralinen, Sandelholz, Kokos. Man riecht daran und verfällt einem nasalen Pomerol-Rausch. Vom erotischen Gaumen gar nicht mals zu sprechen. Nicht wirklich ganz gross - aber halt geil. 10: Doppelmagnum. Sehr dunkles Weinrot noch viel rubiner Schimmer und sogar ein paar lila Reflexe. In der Nase viel Mocca, Schwarztee, Jogurthnuancen, Himbeerjogurette und helles Caramel. Im Gaumen erotisch und Frucht in Hülle und Fülle aufweisend, feinste Tannine, superbe Balance, enorm viel gebündelte Frucht im langen Finale. (19/20). 11: Die wohl letzte Flasche aus dem Keller von Guschti Brandenberg. Das war ein Riesenspass. Es entbrannte leider eine Diskussion, warum an diesem Wein nicht 20 Punkte geben würde. Manchmal sind halt Grösse und Schönheit zwei verschiedene Dinge. austrinken
94 Par Wine Spectator
Shows lots of ripe fruit, with almost-jammy berry and plum character. Full-bodied, soft and round-textured, with a long, caressing finish. Lots of coffee and fruit in the aftertaste. Delicious, but will improve.--Le Pin non-blind vertical. Drink now. 500 cases made. ?JS
It is a toss-up as to whether Le Tertre-Roteboeuf, Lafleur, or Le Pin is Bordeaux's most exotic and kinky wine. Le Pin has taken on a mythical reputation, as evidenced by the absurdly stratospheric prices top vintages tend to fetch. There have been some great vintages of this wine, which possesses one of the most dramatic and ostentatious bouquets of any Bordeaux. Additionally, the micro-production of 500-600 cases guarantees a chic rarity that has also helped propel the price to astronomical levels. When it is great (1982, 1983, 1989, 1990, and 1995), Le Pin provides one of the most gloriously hedonistic mouthfuls of wine produced in Bordeaux. Critics of Le Pin feel it is too obvious, too tasty, and perhaps not as long-lived as its near-by neighbors of Petrus, Lafleur, and L'Evangile. Yet my experience suggests Le Pin improves significantly in the bottle. Tasted just before or just after bottling, the wine can often reveal a blatant, aggressive oakiness that dominates the wine's fruit. After 5-6 years of bottle age, the toasty, pain grillee aromas become less aggressive and better-integrated in the wine's personality. This has happened with every vintage to date. With that in mind, I am not surprised by just how splendidly the 1989 and 1990 have turned out. Both wines appeared in the blind tasting in the same series as Petrus, and they were not out-classed. The 1990 Le Pin is a point or two superior to the 1989, but at this level of quality, comparisons are indeed tedious. Both are exceptional vintages, and the scores could easily be reversed at other tastings. The 1989 is slightly tighter, with more noticeable tannin than the softer, lower-acid 1990. Both take flavor intensity and exoticism to the maximum. The huge, coconut, exotic spice, jammy black fruit, sweet, expansive flavors of these two vintages of Le Pin are to die for. The oak in both wines is more well-integrated than it was only a year ago, and thus the wines no longer seem disjointed. At present, the 1990 reveals a more expansive, chewier texture than the more firmly-structured 1989, but both wines are decadently rich, hedonistic, and opulently textured. I realize the pricing of Le Pin (can a top vintage of this wine really be selling at $4000 a bottle?) precludes most rational people from purchasing it, yet forgetting the hoopla and surreal pricing, these are great wines that are capable of two decades of cellaring. I would opt to drink them earlier rather than later. The 1990 should be drunk over the next 12-15 years .
