Tasted from a half-bottle with Jacqcues Thienpont, the 1996 Le Pin was served against the 1986 and, to be honest, this particular example was put in the shade by the older wine. Visibly more mature on the rim, the nose is not quite as cohesive as the 1986 with mulberry, leather, fig and tertiary aromas. The palate has good weight, which is commendable given that this was not a Right Bank vintage, but the tannins feel just a little coarse and it certainly did not offer the same degree of precision as the 1986 Le Pin. Maybe there are better bottles out there, but I would be inclined to drink mine (if I had any) over the next 5-10 years. Tasted June 2016.

Like many 1996 Pomerols, there is a certain austerity to the tannins, and the wines are not as generous and voluminous as they would be from a great right bank vintage like 1998 or 2000. Nevertheless, this is a top-notch example, more structured than usual, but still has the exotic notes of melted chocolate, roasted espresso, a hint of coconut, and a plethora of jammy black fruits. Relatively supple, even for the vintage, this flamboyant, medium-bodied wine shows superb ripeness, purity, and overall balance with a bit of dry tannin in the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020. Last tasted, 5/02.