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.

Critics Ratings

'The 2002 Le Pin has an exotic bouquet with black cherry, desiccated orange peel and coulis scents alongside tobacco notes that develop with aeration. There is superb definition here. The palate is rounded and sensuous, although it demands time to really open up its plush and generous ripe strawberry, cassis and orange zest notes. Fortunately, this is all founded on good structure and demonstrates impressive length. Just 310 cases were produced.' - Neal Martin, Vinous, 92/100 (March 2025)

'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, 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.' - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 91/100 (May 2005)