Spotlight on: Château Le Pin 1998

John Siudut
Posted: March 29, 2007

Even with only 450 cases produced, the 1998 Le Pin continues to show steady presence in the auction market. 275 bottles have changed hands overall, in 14 of the last 21 quarters beginning in the first quarter of 2002.

This is the only Le Pin that was reviewed on release at 100 points. With the 1982, rated 92 on release, and the 1990, rated 96 on release, showing steep increases in price after spending several years on sideways trends, perhaps it is time to grab hold of the perfect 1998. James Suckling recently had the opportunity to taste all vintages of Le Pin in Hong Kong and stated in his blog regarding this special tasting that the 1998 "continues to be a 100-pointer."

The 1998 could have been purchased under $1,000 as recently as the fourth quarter of 2003 and traded under $1,500 until it spiked up past the $2,000 mark in the first and second quarters of 2006. Recent sales have seen average prices return below the $2,000 mark and we think this represents a potential buying opportunity. This wine has a long, glorious future ahead of it and its ultimate value should be on par if not surpass the performance of the outstanding 1982 and 1990 vintages.

This data comes from the Wine Spectator Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions. This chart plots the average price of Le Pin 1998 sold at commercial auctions from 2002 until the first quarter of 2007 against the average prices of the 1982 and the 1990.