2015 Château Gazin, Pomerol

The 2015 Gazin is dark, fleshy and wonderfully expressive. Mocha, bittersweet chocolate and a host of ripe dark fruit, along with the wine's contours, give the 2015 much of its sumptuous personality. This is a decidedly plush, extracted style, but all the elements are nicely balanced throughout.

The 2015 Gazin has a perfumed bouquet with layers of black cherry, raspberry coulis and truffle scents, more welcoming and sensual than the wines a decade ago from barrel when they intermittently felt under-ripe. There is none of that here for sure. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit on the entry. There is excellent structure here, a masculine Gazin with plenty of grip, counterbalanced by abundant tertiary, tobacco-tinged black fruit. There is real salinity towards the finish, completing a superb wine by Nicolas de Bailliencourt and his team. Do not overlook this Pomerol. It is one of the subtler expressions of the 2015 vintage and one that I am sure will develop beautifully in cask.

Bright crimson. Appetising and savoury on the nose. Much drier than most Pomerols. Racy and mineral.