Château Le Pin

The estate

The estate is named for the single pine that stands on it. It began in 1924 under the Loubie family, and in 1979 Jacques Thienpont, with his father and his uncle, bought the small house and its vines for 1 million French francs. It grew by the square meter: the vegetable garden next door, 30 ares, in 1984, and 60 ares more a few years later with Domaine de la Vieille École. The vineyard is now 2.7 hectares at the heart of the Pomerol plateau, on clay with gravel and sand and deposits of iron oxide.

The wine that made the name was the 1982: 3,600 bottles at 12.5% alcohol. Production has stayed tiny, 400 to 600 cases a year, from vines that are all Merlot, close to 35 years old on average, some of them planted in the 1950s, and the wine spends 14 to 18 months entirely in new French oak. Pomerol has never been classified, so Le Pin holds no rank. The appellation is 813 hectares and 138 growers, 0.7% of Bordeaux.

Jacques Thienpont owns it, with a small share held by Alexandre Thienpont of Vieux Château Certan, and the division of labor is unusual: Alexandre looks after the vineyard, Jacques makes and sells the wine. A new winery, by the architect Paul Robbrecht, was inaugurated in September 2011.

At a glance

Appellation

Pomerol

Classification

MICHELIN Guide, 1 grape (2026)

Owner

Jacques Thienpont, since 1979, with a small share held by Alexandre Thienpont of Vieux Château Certan

Direction

Alexandre Thienpont, the vineyard; Jacques Thienpont, the making and selling of the wine

Vineyard

2.7 hectares at the heart of the plateau; 30 ares added in 1984 and 60 a few years later; vines close to 35 years old on average, some from the 1950s

Ground

Clay with gravel and sand, with deposits of iron oxide

Grapes

Merlot 100%

Cellar

Winery by Paul Robbrecht, inaugurated in September 2011; 14 to 18 months in new French oak

Production

400 to 600 cases a year

The 1982

3,600 bottles, 12.5% alcohol

Sources: CIVB, the Pomerol appellation · Decanter, wine legend: Le Pin 1982 · Sotheby’s, Le Pin is Bordeaux’s own cult wine · Thienpont Wine, Jacques Thienpont · World of Fine Wine, the Thienponts of Bordeaux