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Château Gazin, l'Hospitalet de Gazin, Pomerol

Bordeaux, France 2011 (750mL)
$38.00
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Earth
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Tannin
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Château Gazin, l'Hospitalet de Gazin, Pomerol

The most exciting thing about being a sommelier is discovering and sharing wines that have a genuine pedigree without a prohibitive price. Yes, they are out there, and one of the great places to look for them is in Bordeaux, especially its so-called “Right Bank,” from which this sumptuous red hails. Somehow, within the tiny confines of Pomerol, Château Gazin delivers wines of genuine ‘breed’ at prices much lower than its more-famous neighbors. To be able to offer Gazin’s “second wine,” l’Hospitalet de Gazin makes us very happy.
Much of the conversation around Bordeaux today centers on its often astronomical pricing, and the cartel-like manner in which leading châteaux set these prices. But I believe there’s too much focus on the very top of Bordeaux’s perceived quality pyramid – the best-known of the ‘Classified Growth’ châteaux, which represent a tiny fraction of all Bordeaux wine produced – and not enough on the myriad opportunities a few rungs down the ladder. Bordeaux has the largest production of any French wine appellation, and many of its best values owe to economies of scale; but, beyond that, there has been a quality revolution across Bordeaux that transcends its traditional hierarchy.

There’s a lot of hierarchy in French wine, come to think of it: In Burgundy, for example, the premier cru vineyard “En Remilly,” in St-Aubin, practically abuts the hallowed grand cru “Le Montrachet,” and yet hierarchy dictates that Le Montrachet fetch way higher prices. Château Gazin, meanwhile, farms 70 acres of vineyards in the deep blue clay-and-gravel soils of Pomerol, and shares borders with both Château Petrus and Château L’Evangile. That is some rarefied air, and yet the wines of Gazin remain shockingly accessible in relation to these four-digit neighbors. 

Pomerol, of course, is where the Merlot grape reaches its greatest heights. More than just a supple and sweetly fruity quaffer, Pomerol Merlot is the savory, more structured side of the variety: there’s fruit in abundance, sure, but also smoke and cedar and a good whiff of freshly turned soil. Gazin’s vineyards are planted to 90% Merlot with 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, and its wines typically aged 18 months in 40%-50% new French oak. “L’Hospitalet de Gazin,” its name an homage to a hospital that once stood on the Gazin property, is designed to be the more immediately drinkable, less challenging introduction to the house’s style.

That said, this wine is no shrinking violet. 2011 was a relatively ‘early’ vintage in Bordeaux where grapes matured more quickly than normal and is characterized as a “drink-now” vintage as a result. I found this wine to be very “modern,” polished, medium-to-full-bodied, with the characteristically silky tannins of Pomerol. On the nose are aromas of black cherry, licorice, and anise with a voluptuous oil slick of black currant/black plum fruit on the palate. The finish completes it with lingering Chinese five spice and exotic oak flavors. This wine is now entering its best years and will drink well for the next decade or beyond if kept in proper conditions. Decant this wine at least an hour before enjoying it in your biggest Bordeaux stems at roughly 65 degrees – it’ll make for luxurious slow sipping on its own or elevate a well-charred steak from the grill.
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Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Sub-Region
FrancePomerol
Soil
Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
Partially New French

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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