Château Le Pin
Encyclopedia
Château Le Pin, or simply Le Pin, is an unclassed Bordeaux wine
from the appellation
Pomerol
. The unusually small estate is located on the Right Bank of France’s Gironde estuary
in the commune of Pomerol
near the hamlet of Catusseau, and its wine is periodically one of the world's most expensive red wines.
in 1979 to the Belgian Thienpont family for 1 million francs. The vineyards were developed by Marcel and Gérard Thienpont (of Vieux Château Certan
) on less than 2 hectares, and the wine was produced by microcuvée from a farmhouse basement. The property was given the name Le Pin by the Thienponts from a solitary pine tree that grows near the winery
.
Château Le Pin is considered by some a predecessor of the "garage wines
", although this idea is rejected by many, including by the proprietors, on the basis of the merits of the terroir
, and the absence of extreme measures to compensate for mediocre grapes.
Occasionally the most expensive wine in the world, continually receiving high wine ratings from wine critics and produced in extremely small numbers, Le Pin bottles are a constant presence on the wine auction market.
The winery is currently managed by Jacques Thienpont, and additional tiny plots of land have been acquired. It is among the clients of the oenologist Dany Rolland, wife of Michel Rolland
.
and 8% Cabernet Franc
, the vines averaging 32 years of age. Typically 600 to 700 cases are produced per year, although some years no wine is produced.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
from the appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
. The unusually small estate is located on the Right Bank of France’s Gironde estuary
Gironde estuary
The Gironde is a navigable estuary , in southwest France and is formed from the meeting of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne just below the centre of Bordeaux...
in the commune of Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
near the hamlet of Catusseau, and its wine is periodically one of the world's most expensive red wines.
History
Madame Laubie, whose family had owned the plot since 1924 sold the vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
in 1979 to the Belgian Thienpont family for 1 million francs. The vineyards were developed by Marcel and Gérard Thienpont (of Vieux Château Certan
Vieux Château Certan
Vieux Château Certan is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
) on less than 2 hectares, and the wine was produced by microcuvée from a farmhouse basement. The property was given the name Le Pin by the Thienponts from a solitary pine tree that grows near the winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
.
Château Le Pin is considered by some a predecessor of the "garage wines
Garagistes
The garagistes refers to a group of innovative winemakers in the Bordeaux region, producing "Vins de garage", "Garage wine". A group emerged in the mid 1990s in reaction to the traditional style of red Bordeaux wine, which is highly tannic and requires long ageing in the bottle to become drinkable...
", although this idea is rejected by many, including by the proprietors, on the basis of the merits of the terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
, and the absence of extreme measures to compensate for mediocre grapes.
Occasionally the most expensive wine in the world, continually receiving high wine ratings from wine critics and produced in extremely small numbers, Le Pin bottles are a constant presence on the wine auction market.
The winery is currently managed by Jacques Thienpont, and additional tiny plots of land have been acquired. It is among the clients of the oenologist Dany Rolland, wife of Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland is an influential Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries and influencing wine style around the world...
.
Production
The vineyards extend over 5 acres (2 ha) of clay soil, with a grape variety of 92% MerlotMerlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and 8% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, the vines averaging 32 years of age. Typically 600 to 700 cases are produced per year, although some years no wine is produced.