CRITIC REVIEWS
Neal Martin
The 2014 Le Pin has held on to its outgoing and potent bouquet with red plummy fruit, shavings of black truffle and sous-bois. Curiously, it has an almost Burgundian-like allure. Wonderful definition, however. The palate is medium-bodied with fleshy ripe tannins, a mouth-filling Pomerol that doesn't fully deliver the complexity and nuance of other vintages, notwithstanding a bit of dryness right on the finish. A fine Pomerol, one I would drink over the next 15 years, but other vintages will outlast it. Interestingly, the bottle served blind at Southwold showed better.
Neal Martin
The 2014 Le Pin has a really quite lovely bouquet. Tasted alongside its "cousin" Vieux-Chateau-Certan, it is more exotic and outgoing, yet it maintains fine delineation and complexity with upfront blueberry and black cherry fruit, quite a noticeable menthol note emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet and embracing entry, caressing in texture thanks to the succulent tannin, though these are counterpoised by the silver bead of acidity. There is just a touch of salted licorice that pops up on the finish. To quote Alexandre Thienpont (since Jacques and Fiona had to be in Belgium), this is a "classic" Le Pin, though I feel it will be overshadowed by the 2015.
JancisRobinson.com
Tasted blind. Mid garnet with bricky rim. Really sweetly seductive aroma. Ripe damson with just a touch of leafiness to keep the freshness. Some tea leaf. Elegant, smooth, only moderate intensity but long. Silky finish. (JH)