89/100 PP

"Gazin has been one of the most impressive Pomerols over the last decade. That's good news for consumers since it is a large estate, with the potential to produce 10,000 cases. The 1996 is an atypically tannic, serious Gazin with a dense ruby/purple color, and lavish quantities of toasty new oak in the nose intermixed with licorice, black cherries, and mocha/coffee notes. The wine displays excellent concentration, but is backward, with medium to full body, and moderately high tannin. Give it 5-6 years of cellaring as it will be potentially long-lived. It is unquestionably an impressive effort for a 1996 Pomerol. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018.

This chateau has made an impressive rebound, which is good news as it is one of Pomerol's largest estates, with the potential to produce 10,000 cases, although in most recent vintages nearly 40% of the harvest has been deemed insufficient to be bottled under the Gazin label."
(Robert M. Parker, Jr.)