CHÂTEAU GAZIN
2020 Pomerol
Market Insight: We were hugely impressed by the 2020 Gazin, and it has rightfully been well acclaimed by the critics with more scores in the mid-90s across the board. Pretty smart on the back of Neal's solid 95-97 point score from last year. Whilst the 2010, a good benchmark, might not currently trade at much of a premium, it is worth betting on the brand rising in general. The 2020 is s delight from the start with great feel. Nicely balanced. Good depth. Deliciously ripe plum and dark berry-fruit, with gentle spice and kick - delivered in such a classy poised manner. A fabulous example of how good the Merlot can be in Pomerol this year.L&S (May 2021)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Lovely texture to this Pomerol. Fine velvety tannins with plum, walnut and crushed stone character. Savory finish. Needs time to soften. Very classy and structured, yet so refined. 91.6% merlot and 8.4% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2025. Rating: 96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
The 2020 Gazin is a wine of total precision and class. Vibrant, with tremendous nuance, the 2020 is so impressive. Dark red cherry, iron, tobacco, white pepper and crushed flowers abound. The 2020 is a standout Gazin. Drinking range: 2025 - 2035 Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
A fairly serious Pomerol but then Gazin always is, an undeniably grownup wine with muscular tannins, tons of ageing ability, sleek dark fruits, charcoal, black chocolate, espresso. This has waves of complexity, it grips through the palate, touch of slate minerality as it opens, adding texture. 35hl/ha yield. First time with no Cabernet Franc in the blend. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2023)
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)
Château Gazin
It is said that Château Gazin occupies the site of an old Knights of St John hospital that tended to pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostella - a legend that is reflected in the cross on the label and in the name of the second wine, l'Hospitalet de Gazin. During the 19th Century, Gazin was one of the most highly regarded estates in Pomerol. The Bailliencourt family came into the estate by marriage in the early years of the 20th Century but, sadly, their tenure has mostly been of a château in decline. However, the estate's inheritance by the dynamic Nicolas de Bailliencourt in the 1980's has completely turned Gazin around and, once again, it is one of the châteaux to watch. The machine harvesters, bought as recently as 1979, were disposed of, a new chais was built, the second wine was introduced to allow stricter selection for the grand vin, and the services of Pomerol guru Jean-Pierre Moueix were engaged. The wine is typically 90% Merlot and spends 18 months in barrique, of which 50% are new wood.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2023 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.