Château Gazin Pomerol 2022 / 14% / 0.75 L

This wine comes from one of the most magical vineyards in Pomerol.Château Gazin —located right next to Pétrus on a high terrace within the appellation—traces its origins to the “Hospital de Pomeyrols,” a hospital and shelter built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 12th century to accommodate pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.Today, the estate belongs to the Bailliencourt dit Courcol family; its second wine is called L’Hospitalet de Gazin—a name that directly references this medieval heritage.

The vineyard covers 26 hectares in a single, contiguous plot —which is rare in Pomerol—and is situated on the famous “plateau” with a surface layer of gravel (Günz) and a subsoil of blue-green clays containing iron concretions.It is precisely these clays—similar to those found in Pétrus—that give Gazin its depth, density, and “liquid velvet” character.The shrubs are, on average, about.30–35 years, with a planting density of ~5,500–6,000 vines per hectare.

The 2022 vintage was exceptionally early and extremely dry here, with the first Merlot harvest beginning on September 2 and the Cabernet harvest concluding on September 19.This wine is a blend typical of the estate, with Merlot as the dominant variety: 94% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc.It was aged for 14–16 months in barriques, with approx..45% new barrels (the rest are “one-year-old” barrels), which added subtle notes of vanilla, brioche, and tobacco to the juicy, fruity core.

It is interesting to note that Gazin—though larger than many of its neighbors—remains one of the few estates in Pomerol with such a homogeneous, compact vineyard, and its tradition of producing a second wine (L’Hospitalet de Gazin) dates back to the 1980s., when people began deliberately selecting batches for "great wine".This place is also sometimes referred to as a “bridge” between the classic, earthy style of Pomerol and the more effervescent expression of fruit on gravel soils.

Appearance: deep, lustrous ruby red with garnet highlights and dense, slow tears.

Aroma: ripe black cherry and plum intertwine with cocoa, anise, and violet; over time, notes of brioche, vanilla, and a hint of tobacco from oak aging emerge.

Taste: a silky attack of black fruit, a mid-palate with excellent body and “sweet” tannins; a long, chalky-clay-like finish with hints of dark chocolate and cherry pits.

Food pairings: A Pomerol classic—beef tenderloin with red wine jus, 24-month Comté., roast duck with cherry sauce, beef cheeks braised in red wine; from Polish cuisine, it pairs perfectly with zander in butter with oyster mushrooms and demi-glace sauce, as well as with venison pierogi.