The 2018 Chateau Le Pin is a Bordeaux Blend from the Pomerol region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Chateau Le Pin, is composed entirely of Merlot and boasts an alcohol content of 14.5%. The wine is sealed with a cork closure and has garnered high praise from several notable wine reviewers.
James Suckling awarded the 2018 Chateau Le Pin a score of 98, noting the wine's captivating aromas of blackberries, iron shavings, and black olives. He described it as "full-bodied with lots of toffee and smoky undertones to the ripe and round tannins," adding that it’s "very exciting and flavorful with softness and beauty." Suckling suggests that while it is drinkable now, it will be even better in two or three years.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rated the wine even higher, with a score range of 97-99. Reviewer LPB praised its deep purple-black color and complex nose, which features notes of tar, fertile loam, truffles, baked black cherries, stewed plums, mulberries, black pepper, hoisin, and chargrill. The palate is described as "loaded with taut, muscular fruit and heaps of earthy accents," supported by ripe, rounded tannins and a seamless freshness. The finish is noted to be very long and wonderfully savory.
Jeff Leve of TheWineCellarInsider.com also rated the wine at 98, highlighting its sensuous and exotic texture. He described the wine as "medium-full bodied" with hints of chocolate, spice, and citrus complementing the opulent red fruits. Leve also noted the use of cultivated yeasts for the first time due to the higher alcohol levels.
Decanter echoed these sentiments with a score of 98, praising the wine's "expansive and luxurious" texture and floral side that lifts the wine through aromatics rather than acidity. The reviewer emphasized the "sumptuousness through the mid-palate," comparing it to lying down on a feather pillow.
Jeb Dunnuck, giving the wine a near-perfect score of 99, was equally impressed. He highlighted the wine's "vivid purple color and magical notes of kirsch, cassis, and black raspberries," along with its "pure, sexy, seamless style" and integrated, high-class oak.
Overall, the 2018 Chateau Le Pin is a well-regarded Bordeaux Blend, known for its complexity, luxurious texture, and seamless integration of flavors.