Le Pin

The world's most expensive wine per case. Jacques Thienpont (Belgian) purchased a 2.3-hectare estate in 1979 for almost nothing — at the time, Pomerol was not fashionable. The vineyard sits on sandy gravel with a pocket of clay. Merlot dominant. Thienpont's minimalist winemaking in a tiny garage operation produced wines that Robert Parker described as perfect (100 points) from the early 1980s. The term 'garage wine' derives from operations like Le Pin — small, unclassified, expensive. Fewer than 500 cases per year. BC: auction only.

Le Pin consistently sells for more per case than Pétrus at auction. The 1982 ($10,000+ per bottle) and 2009 are reference benchmarks. The concept of 'garage wines' (Garagiste movement in Saint-Émilion) was inspired by operations like Le Pin.