Château Gazin 2021

Luminous ruby red. The nose is seductive, feminine, like a perfume, with lots of florality, red fruits, blood oranges, herbs, a hint of summer meadow—captivating. On the palate, slender, showing plenty of structure, noticeable tannins of good quality; the wine has great elegance and displays the taut, Gazin-typical character. It will need some time, but based on experience it should age well. 2028–2045 (Tasted in November 2023 in Zurich at the UGCB)

I was optimistic for the 2021 Gazin in barrel, but that optimism hasn’t been realized in bottle. Offering up aromas of minty blackberries and herbs, it’s medium-bodied, firm and astringent, with a bitter, mouth-puckering, discreetly metallic finish. Time may be kind to it, but only gamblers would test that hypothesis.

This is lifted, bright and high-toned. There’s some energy here with tannins that are fine but have bite and tang, supporting the expression and coating the mouth in grippy saltiness. A good effort this year, not trying too hard. Mouthwatering yet cool and crisp, with lovely weight and frame and flavors of blueberry, liquorice, flint and dried herbs.

Black berries and black plums on the nose with some tobacco leaf, graphite and bitter chocolate. It’s focused on the palate, with firm tannins that melt and relax into the black fruit. Medium-bodied and well-structured. Mineral at the end. Try from 2025.

100% Merlot. Cask sample. Slightly dull on the nose but supple fruit on the palate with assertive tannins. Dry and chewy on the finish. Is there enough fruit to cope with the tannins? (JL)

The 2021 Gazin has a well-defined bouquet with slightly earthy black fruit, touches of tobacco and graphite emerging over time—not powerful, but there is nice cohesion here. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-infused entry. The 2021 is light on its feet, a nimble Pomerol with a fresh, sapid, seaweed-tinged finish. It’s worth seeking out for those in search of traditional Bordeaux, albeit not a long-term runner.

Chocolate-covered cherries and flowers create the aromatic profile here. Made from 100% Merlot, the wine is fresh, soft, supple, vibrant, and fresh. There is a mildly divergent green olive note at the end that distracts just a bit from the otherwise classic cherry and cocoa characteristics. Yields were quite low this year at only 18 hectoliters per hectare, which is less than half the normal production. Drink from 2025–2042.

Juicy red and black fruits, gravelly earth, crushed stone, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Gazin, a nicely concentrated, slightly foursquare effort that has ripe yet building tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Give it 2-3 years to gain some elegance, and it should drink nicely over the following decade.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (100% Merlot, 18 hl/ha, 13.5% alc./vol., production 32,000 bottles) Deep, elegant, complex, fresh bouquet of strawberries, pralines, orange blossom, licorice, and delicate toasted notes. A tightly woven, elegant palate with a finely creamy, dense structure, powerful, sweet, refined fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a multifaceted, intense aromatics profile, and a very long, concentrated finish with plenty of lingering flavors.

(100% Merlot, 18 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. alcohol, production 32,000 bottles) Deep, elegant, complex, fresh bouquet of strawberries, pralines, orange blossom, licorice, delicate toasted notes. Tightly knit, elegant palate with a finely creamy, dense structure, powerful, sweet, refined fruit, plenty of fine tannins, diverse, intense aromatics, and a very long, concentrated finish with plenty of lingering flavors. 19/20 2028 - 2050

Tomato leaf and subtle campfire smoke on the aromatics, a bright medium-intensity ruby red colour. It starts well with red cherry and raspberry fruit, but rose stem, anise and tannic grip keep things on the austere side. Serious in style, entirely within the house style of this classical Pomerol estate.

The 2021 Gazin is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little shaking, it wakes up to reveal notes of fresh blackberries and black raspberries plus hints of licorice, sassafras, and black truffle. The medium-bodied palate is plush and juicy, with well-knit freshness and a savory finish.

Gazin’s nobility fully expresses itself on the nose, poised between freshness and an extra touch of chocolaty indulgence. Despite tannins that are still a little tight, the palate is very pure, chiselled, and marked by undeniable class.

Gazin 2021 shows a fresh, composed character. Beautiful overall definition with an evident symbiosis between freshness and ripeness… and that in 2021! The precision and radiance of the bouquet announce a structured wine. The palate lives up to the bouquet’s promise. It is likewise precise and highly defined. The tannins, with a fine-grained texture, offer respectable power and a slightly austere edge that highlights the aromatics and length. A characterful wine, very accomplished, assertive, inviting, and fit for extended cellaring.

The wine has a medium-intensity ruby color. The nose is precise, dense, and deep. The aromas combine the juiciness of ripe fruit (griotte cherry, black plum, wild strawberry, blackcurrant jam, fresh blackcurrant, fresh blueberry), the savory side of sweet spices (an intense note of licorice, reminiscent of star anise, nutmeg, clove, a hint of vanilla, white pepper), a herbal freshness (crushed peppermint leaf, tobacco leaf, pine needles), a touch of violet, and roasted notes (coffee, toasted almond with delicate bitterness, toasted wood) that emerge on the second nose. The palate is straight and slightly firm, with a tight, powerful tannic structure. Flavors are fresh and juicy: we find notes of griotte, blackcurrant, black plum, blueberry, blackcurrant jam, as well as a touch of chocolate-covered cherry, combined with spicy notes of licorice (even star anise), white pepper, vanilla, nutmeg, toasted almond with a fine bitterness, toasted wood (in the background), violet, and a refreshing herbal touch (peppermint, tobacco, a slight resinous note). The finish is persistent, with lively acidity and slightly tight tannins, balanced by the fruit’s juiciness and indulgence.

This year, it’s a wine made from 100% merlot. The cabernets sauvignons and cabernets francs didn’t hold up with organic treatments against downy mildew. Beautiful deep, sustained color. Intense nose with ripe, nuanced fruit. Delicate on entry and even a touch tender, its profile highlights a silky feel and a presence that gradually settles in from mid-palate to the finish. Good, flavorful length, nuanced with a hint of licorice. Lots of charm. Alcohol: 13.5%. Yield: 18 hl/ha.

Dark garnet, purple hues at the narrow rim. Fine noble wood aromas, dark berry notes, a touch of spices, and a hint of nougat. Medium-bodied, red berry fruit, slender texture, fresh structure, mineral with an elegant saltiness on the finish.