Grape Wine Journey

Le Pin stands for the Pine Tree at the Vineyard

Standing on the rooftop of the newly built Le Pin, the young Monsieur Thienpont pointed to the two pine trees in front of the house, still standing tall as the symbol of the vineyard after the renovation.

We walked around the rooftop, probably less than 200 sq ft, and counted the rows of vines that are part of Le Pin.  It is indeed a small vineyard even in St Emilion, only 2 hectares producing 5,000 bottles a year.  There are 7 plots of fields that will go through the fermentation process in 7 separate stainless steel vats after harvest.

Le Pin is also unique in the land that is well known for blending, and the wine is all Merlot.  It is a cult wine, which could go easily for over  1,000 Euro a bottle in the market, and really not a wine you will find in my cellar.

As we walked down the staircase, we only had one question in our mind – end of the tour?

When Monsieur Thienpont led us back to the cellar and handled over the wine glasses and offered the 2012 barrel tasting, what else could we say?  We were trembling with excitement as he generously poured the wine.

We were amazed that the wine was already drinkable from the barrel, with soft

and silky tannin.  There were more to it, the spice from the wood soon evolved to red fruit and it just hit all the palate in your mouth.

It was the length of the wine that made its mark in our memory as we bid farewell to the two pine trees and the young host.  The best breakfast drink I ever tasted !