The 2020 Château Le Pin is a tiny-production Pomerol from Jacques Thienpont’s roughly 2-hectare estate on the Pomerol plateau, rooted in iron-rich gravel and clay. It is made from 100% Merlot and, in typical Le Pin fashion, aims for depth and polish rather than overt austerity. While the estate is often associated with lavish new oak, Jeb Dunnuck notes an important technical shift in 2020: it was raised in “75% new French oak,” and “the first vintage where the wine wasn’t aged in all new barrels,” from yields of “24 hectoliters per hectare.”
The top reviews are emphatic. James Suckling awards 100 points, calling it a “Perfect wine” with “fresh flowers such as lavender and rose stem,” plus “Mineral. Stone.” and a “weightless” finish, adding that “it will age for decades.” The Wine Independent (99) also goes big, describing “plum preserves, blackberry compote, dark chocolate, smoked meats, and Indian spices,” finishing “very long with loads of mineral and savory layers,” concluding simply: “Epic!”
Decanter’s 97 is notably strong and detailed, emphasizing both richness and drive: “Ripe, dark chocolate, floral scents, rich blackcurrants—heady but refined,” with a palate that is “supple and racy,” delivering “much more freshness than I was expecting,” and “excellent” tannins that “caresses the palate comfortably.”
Not every critic leans into perfection. William Kelley at Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (94) finds it “marked by the warmth and sunshine of the vintage,” with “jammy plums, kirsch, figs and licorice” and “a generous application of creamy new oak,” praising it as “a strong effort,” while noting it “can’t match the purity and precision of the 2019.”
A later blind note from Neal Martin (Vinous, 95) underscores structure and reserve, calling it “backward and primal,” with “fine tannins” around “pure black fruit” and a “very serious” profile that “may well merit a higher score in due course.” Overall, 2020 Le Pin reads as a concentrated, ageworthy Merlot balancing opulence with surprising freshness and mineral detail.
