Bordeaux Theme
Live Virtual Auction, 17 September 2023
Bordeaux
About this Item
Château Le Pin is situated on the Bordeaux Right-Bank in the appellation of Pomerol and is named for the single pine tree that grows near the winery. Considered one of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world, Le Pin commands some of the most consistently high prices on auction worldwide, bolstered by equally high critic ratings. Made from 100% Merlot, the grapes are sourced from only 2.7 hectares of vineyard that surrounds the winery and only 600-700 cases of wine are produced annually.
The original single hectare property was established in the 1920’s and bought by Jacques Thienpont in 1979 for a million francs. The vineyards were further developed by Thienpont, whose family own the neighbouring Vieux Château Certan, and the wine was initially made in tiny quantities in a farmhouse basement. Today the wine is made in a state-of-the-art winery upgraded in 2011, but the quantities remain tiny, as the demand for this exquisite wine grows.
Critics Ratings
‘Very savoury but jagged. Lots of acidity rather than gentle stuff. Mild cocoa with floral notes.’ - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Oct 2009)
‘One of the candidates for the Pomerol of this challenging vintage, Le Pin’s 2002 boasts a deep plum/purple color in addition to sweet aromas of dried herbs, roasted coffee, chocolate, plums, and sweet cherries. This luscious offering possesses terrific fruit, medium body, low acidity, and a long, heady finish. Drink it over the next 12-15 years. It is an amazing wine for the vintage!’ - Robert parker Jr, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Apr 2005)
‘Full red-ruby. Ripe aromas of plum, dark raspberry, chocolate and espresso. Fat, lush and fruity, with a lovely pliant texture and impressive richness for the vintage; hints of espresso and roasted herbs. Alexandre Thienpont likes this wine very much but told me he gives the edge to the 2001, so I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of this bottle.’ - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 91/100 (May 2005)
Provenance
The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.
Michael Egan is a world-expert in fine and rare wines with more than thirty five years of experience. He was the principal expert for the plaintiff in the two major wine counterfeiting trials in Koch v. Eric Greenberg and United States v. Rudy Kurniawan, both of which occurred in 2013.
Along with Michael Egan, the Strauss & Co Fine Wine team have tasted extensively through the cellar and are confident of the wine storage and hence quality. The entire collection is currently stored at Wine Cellar.
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