Château Le Pin, Pomerol, 2019

An evocative nose, floral and exotic with black cherry, lychee and passion fruit aromas, delicate and nuanced. Svelte on the palate with sculpted and refined tannins - it's confident, with sinew, muscle and plump fruit, but not showy. The 2019 Le Pin is a rich, expansive wine that soars from the glass with aromas of raspberry preserve, plums, wild berries, rose petals and licorice, framed by a deftly judged patina of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, supple and velvety, it's broad and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit that's framed by lively acids and powdery tannins, concluding with a long, aromatic finish. Le Pin's vines are rooted in clay, which no doubt helps to explain how this wine can perform so well in warm, dry vintages.