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Le Pin

The weather during the primeurs is said by some to influence how well the wines show, the clear skies and sunshine of high pressure systems lifting the aromatics of the wines (and perhaps also the spirits of the tasters), while the rolling and rumbling clouds of a low pressure system are said to do the opposite. How much truth there is in this is up for debate, as once you start applying some science to the concept it all begins to unravel. Nevertheless, adverse weather conditions can certainly make for a miserable primeurs week, although personally I find this is because I don’t enjoy being drenched by a sudden rainstorm as I run for the tasting room, or being blown off my feet by hurricane-like winds when I stop off somewhere for lunch.

Happily, on at least one of my earlier visits to Bordeaux, many years ago now, the weather was fine, the skies free of clouds and the sunshine bright. It wasn’t a warm day, the breeze carrying some cool air, perhaps blown along from some distant frozen land. The gentle wind rustled through the leaves on the trees, while the vineyards all around lay curiously silent; there was a little budburst to be seen here and there but no leaves had yet fully emerged, so the vineyards retained their wintery palette of grey and brown. Even so, I sensed that the green of spring and summer would soon be here. And so with the taste of Château Cheval Blanc still fresh on my palate I hopped into my hire car and set off for my next appointment, at one of Pomerol’s most famous and yet also youngest names, Le Pin.

Le Pin

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