Gazin 2023 (3.0L)

95-96 JS / 94 JA / 94 DE / 92-94 WI / 91-94 WA / 91-93 VM / 91-93 JD

Very classy, with a crushed-stone and terra-cotta highlight to the blackberry, chocolate and hazelnut character. It’s medium-bodied with a personality that grows on the finish and delivers intensity and length at the end. Very long. Very structured. We will see which is better, 2022 or 2023. - James Suckling

One of those benchmark estates that rise above the individual character of the year, imposing their own personality that remains true to itself. Good texture here, enjoyable depth and balance, peony floral character, cocoa bean and slate, with tannins that give sinew and tension to the palate. Good stuff, will age. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Vivid fruit aromas of strawberry jam, blackberry and plum. The palate shows rather smooth tannin, with plenty of wet stone minerality and tonicity, without any notion of hard or drying tannins. Indeed, this is textbook example of mainly Merlots finding their place in deep clay that kept things fresh during the heatwave. Excellent palate depth! Bordering on a 95-point score, which may happen after barrel ageing broadens the palate even more. - Panos Kakaviatos, Decanter

A blend of 89% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Gazin has a deep garnet-purple color. It is a touch subdued to begin, needing a little patience to discover subtle notes of redcurrant jelly, fresh plums, and cedar, leading to hints of pencil lead and bay leaves. The medium-bodied palate has fine-grained tannins and bright acidity supporting the delicate red and black fruit flavors, finishing with a savory lift. I like this quiet intensity! - Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Independent

The Mouiex firm acquired this estate in 2021 (after cultivating it in "fermage" since 1974) and sold off the less optimally situated parcels lying on sandy soils. The 2023 Lafleur-Gazin offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, baked plums and mint, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered palate that's quite deep and extracted, perhaps reflecting an understandable ambition to signal new seriousness at this address. It's 100% Merlot. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The 2023 Gazin is deep, layered and exceptionally well-balanced. All the elements are in the right place. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and dried herbs all meld together in a seamless, super-expressive Pomerol that hints at a very bright future. This is a fine follow up to the 2022. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Red, blue, and black fruits, sappy green herbs, and some floral notes all emerge from the 2023 Château Gazin, a more medium-bodied Pomerol with an upfront, complex, lively profile. It's solid in the vintage, has ripe tannins, and bright yet integrated acidity. The blend is 89% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. - Jeb Dunnuck