Le Pin 2011

Coming in at 13.3 % natural alcohol, this 2011 is a blockbuster Pomerol revealing loads of black currant, kirsch, and raspberry fruit intermixed with hints of licorice, spring flowers and spicy, smoky oak. As always, there is an exoticism to this dense purple-colored offering, and its opulence and flamboyance are hard to resist. This stunningly proportioned, flamboyant Pomerol is somewhat atypical for the vintage. It should drink well for 15+ years. The Thienpont family, the proprietors of Le Pin, picked their Merlot on September 12-13. The tiny crop was a result of difficulty during flowering, a few days of extreme heat at the end of June, and the overall drought conditions that have persisted through March, 2012. -Robert Parker