Perfumed, intensely spicy nose hints at black cherry and cocoa. Intensely flavored, fresh and backward; this has great structure and fabulous aromatic precision for the vintage. Firm and very long on the aftertaste, with substantial fine tannins coming on quite late.

Some of the hard tannins this wine possessed early in life have sloughed off to reveal a wine that has a stunning nose of roasted herbs, caramel, smoke, barbecue notes along with fruitcake, blackberry, and black cherry jam, and a bit of white chocolate also entering the smorgasbord of scents. Full-bodied, with low acidity but still moderately high tannin, still a tightly knit, very concentrated wine that is surprisingly structured and backward for Le Pin. It is also a bit more massive than most vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.