CHÂTEAU GAZIN

The 2020 Gazin has a very alluring bouquet with pure blackberry, bilberry and pressed flower scents, nicely focused with beautifully integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, ripe and tensile, gentle grip with quite a complex, lightly spiced and persistent finish. This is a wonderful Pomerol that has the substance to repay long-term cellaring. Drinking range: 2026 - 2055 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)

Tough, cool, green and tannic, this is a powerful wine and it attacks the palate with raw fruit and hard, stalky notes. I cannot see the fruit winning this battle given that the oak is ganging up against it, too. I would like to taste this again because I am concerned that this sample is not indicative, so for now it gains a ‘?’ as a caveat. Rating: 17+? Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jun 2021)

The 2020 Gazin, which contains no Cabernet Franc this year, has a wonderful bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone and pressed iris petal scents, very focused and precise, that really whisks you down to Pomerol. The medium-bodied palate displays fine-grained tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Very sapid with a little more dryness on the finish than its peers, which gets the saliva flowing. Classic Pomerol through and through. Drinking range: 2026 - 2055 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

A quintessential Pomerol with its beautiful red and blue fruits as well as floral, earth, and sappy herb aromas and flavors, the 2020 Château Gazin is medium to full-bodied and has wonderful purity, ultra-fine tannins, and no hard edges. It shines for its purity and elegance and is just a classy, thrilling wine. Rating: 94-96 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Gazin rolls effortlessly out of the glass with upfront scents of baked black plums, stewed black cherries and mulberries, plus hints of spice cake, chocolate box and cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing savory. Drinking range: 2024 - 2042 Rating: 92-94 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)

I love this, extremely classic Gazin, which has depth and pep, and a jaunty feel to the black fruits. The freshness keeps the core of this wine firm from beginning to end, as do the chewy tannins. This is not an exuberant vintage but at this particular estate it suits the personality because it is always fairly old school and classic. For the first time no Cabernet Franc in the blend, just Cabernet Sauvignon. A yield of 35hl/ha. No added sulphur during fermentation. Tasted twice, there are plenty of tannins here but it is highly successful. Drinking range: 2029 - 2043 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deepest crimson to purplish rim. Pure and fragrant with cassis and blackberry, the fruit shining above the oak though the oak is evident at this stage, of course. An attractive touch of stone dust on the nose. On the palate, dry and chewy texture but fresh and nicely structured with the fruit. Not as powerfully built as some but attractive in its slightly lighter touch, the tannins refined. Blind, I would have thought this had more than 10% Cabernet. Juicy freshness on the finish. Drinking range: 2027 - 2035 Rating: 16.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)