2022 Château Le Pin, Pomerol

Delivers the plush texture of Le Pin, with rippling cassis and blueberry fruits, bitter slabs of chocolate, slate, crushed rocks. The extreme ripeness of the year seems effortless at a property that knows how to capture your attention, and how to draw velvety tannins around intensely spiced fruits. A slow build through the palate, need to take your time to explores the depths of this wine, give it time. Expertly structured and intense. Harvest September 6 to 17, here yield 29hl/h, 3.77ph, 65% new oak. Potential upscore in bottle.

As always, the 2022 Château Le Pin is 100% Merlot, but the amount of new oak has been pulled back substantially in the past few vintages, and the 2022 is still resting in just 65% new oak. This Burgundian styled Merlot reveals a healthy ruby/purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet of spiced red and black fruits, background oak, dried flowers, and loamy earth. Medium to full-bodied, restrained, incredibly elegant, and balanced, with fine tannins, it's another remarkable, singular wine from this château.

The elegance and harmony of the 2022 Le Pin took me aback. Harvest began at this small estate on September 6th, proceeding bit by bit until all 10 blocks were picked, and the resulting wine is maturing in 65% new oak. Wafting from the glass with aromas of minty blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of licorice, spices and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and fleshy, with a sensual, seamless profile and terrific integration at such an early stage. It's one of the finest vintages at this address in the last decade or more.

Such is the ripeness and richness of the vintage but the wine remains so fresh and balanced. Medium-bodied with subtle and juicy tannins. It's a little fuller-bodied than the perfect 2020 but it is just as weightless and gorgeous. Cashmere texture throughout. Only 65% new wood.

The 2022 Le Pin is racy and nicely textured, but it also comes across as somewhat closed. I suspect a sulfur addition three weeks before tasting explains much of the wine's reticence. There is almost certainly more to the 2022 than this tasting suggests. Needless to say, I am very curious to taste this again down the line.