2016 Chteau Gazin Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

A blend of 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.

The harvests are carried out by hand, as each plot reaches perfect ripeness. The grapes undergo an initial sorting in the vineyard, carried out by the pickers. Two further sorting stages take place in the vat room, before and after removal of the stalks, to optimize the quality of the fruit.

Fermentation takes place in small concrete vats, separated by grape variety and plot, the juice and skins are then left to macerate for two to three weeks. Malolactic fermentation, is then carried out, each grape variety being kept separate, either in barrels or vats, depending on the quality of the batches.

The wines are then transferred to oak barrels (50% new barrels). They mature for eighteen months, during which the wines are progressively blended during meticulous rackings approximately every three months. The contact with the fine lees and the oak tannins gradually adds structure and complexity, enabling the production of wines that can be laid down and that will improve over time.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The vineyards of Pomerol gradually developed between the 12th century and the French Revolution under the aegis of the knights of Saint-Jean of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta. Chteau Gazin, which was a hamlet in the 18th century, is probably located on the site of the Hospital of Pomeyrols, built by the knights to receive pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostela route. This was the inspiration for the name of the propertys second wine lHospitalet de Gazin.

Chteau Gazin is located on the north-eastern part of the Pomerol plateau in Bordeaux,between Chteaux Petrus and Lafleur-Gazin, on a terroir of gravel with a subsoil of blue and green clay with iron oxides.

The vineyard is planted with 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 35 years. The vines are planted with a density of 5,500 to 7,000 per hectare.

The vines are cultivated using traditional growing methods and an environmentally-friendly approach with ploughing, organic fertilizers, minimum use of pesticides (including mating disruption), and manual harvests.