Le Pin 2021 (750ML)

98-99 JS / 94-97 WA / 96 AG / 95 VM

This has a firm, seamless and velvety tannin structure, accompanying a deep core of dark plum fruit, peach stones, chocolate and mahogany. Layered and caressing. Supple, yet full and powerful. Silky and smooth at the end. It shows real structure for the vintage and will age really well. 100% merlot. - James Suckling

I tasted the 2021 Le Pin several times this spring, and on every occasion the wine showed brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, exotic spices, vine smoke and carnal nuances, it's medium to full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, with a velvety attack, supple tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Seamless and impressively concentrated, it demonstrates how precocious, well-drained sites such as Le Pin came into their own in the 2021 growing season. As usual, it's 100% Merlot, and this year it checks in at 13.4% alcohol. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The 2021 Le Pin has turned out beautifully. Élevage has done wonders in building texture. Dark, pliant and super-expressive, the 2021 is fabulous right out of the gate. Bright acids resonate on the striking finish. Black cherry, plum, leather, spice, graphite and jasmine lend an exotic flair. Time in the glass releases the aromatics. The 2021 is a gorgeous wine. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The 2021 Le Pin showed impressively from barrel. Now in bottle since the beginning of June 2022, it has evolved since then, developing more depth and delineation. Oddly, you might misconstrue this as containing some Cabernet Franc (though, of course, it is 100% Merlot). The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins. It has a wonderful symmetry and, although it declines to fan out on the finish like a top growing season, it is fresh and saline, beckoning you back for another sip. Lovely. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media