What Are Your 99 Wines? (Part 20)

“I like on the table, when we’re speaking,
the light of a bottle of intelligent wine.”

― Pablo Neruda

I have tried to call the friends whom I mention in these articles to see if their recollections differ from mine. I have enjoyed reconnecting with them and speaking about the wines that I have included in this series (and the wines I have not). Your favorite may yet appear on the list. In the meantime, please, please, keep reminding me of the wines and the times we have shared.

55. Château Gazin – Real estate, real estate, real estate!

The Pomerol appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) is incredible real estate. It is located on the right bank of the Dordogne River in Bordeaux near Saint-Émilion, the most picturesque village in Bordeaux. This means wines from this AOC are predominantly Merlot-based. The Châteaux in Pomerol were never classified as was done in other parts of Bordeaux, such as the Médoc and Graves. However, many of the AOC’s wines would be considered First Growths if the classifications were revisited.

Vineyards were first planted in Pomerol in the 12th century. Pomerol’s dominant varietal is Merlot, as it is a Right Bank AOC. Pomerol is the smallest AOC in Bordeaux. The entire Pomerol AOC has approximately 801 hectares (1,980 acres) under vine. By comparison, the Oakville AVA in Napa Valley has about 2,023 hectares (5,000 acres) under vine.

Pomerol’s small size means that the vineyards produce only about 1,000 cases on average. However, the Pomerol AOC has some of the most iconic names in the world of wine, such as Châteaux Lafleur, Le Pin, and Pétrus. It also borders Cheval Blanc, which is in the adjacent Saint-Émilion AOC.

I was part of a small group touring châteaux in Bordeaux. I was unfamiliar with the beautiful estate known as Château Gazin. Château Gazin is located just below Château Cheval Blanc, next to Château Lefleur, and across from Château Petrus. This winery has some of the best terroir and produces outstanding wines, but it does not have the name recognition – or the über-price tags – of its neighbors. Interestingly, Château Gazin sold just over six hectares (14 acres) to Château Petrus in 1969. Château Gazin wines are worthy of the terroir.

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The fifth generation of the de Bailliencourt family owns and operates Château Gazin. We had the honor of being hosted by the charming co-owner, Christophe Dufour. M. Dufour presented Château Gazin’s 2010 vintage. This wine is 86.00% Merlot, with the remaining 14.00% comprised of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. He explained that 2010 was a stellar vintage for Pomerol, even better than 2009, which was a vintage for the ages. He was right. This wine was exceptional.

This was an intense, powerful, and layered wine. The color was a deep, opaque purple with little visible sediment. The nose was primarily of black fruits, such as crème de cassis and blackberries. The second layer was pungent kirsch, mocha, chocolate, and tobacco leaf. The palate presented a medium-to-full-bodied wine with gripping tannins. The notes of liquorice and dark fruits gave way to truffles, figs, and caramel. M. Dufour told me that I could drink this vintage until 2059. (From his mouth to God’s ear!)

I had not had Gazin until I shared it with M. Dufour at the vineyard, but that was not my last time enjoying it. I should also note that I found Gazin at Costco last week, and I have since added this wine to my cellar.

56. Château Haut-Bailly – I love having a wonderful wine for the first time.

Château Haut-Bailly is one of 18 wineries classified as Cinquièmes Crus or Fifth Growths in Napoléon III’s Les Grands Crus classés en 1855 (the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855). The term Fifth Growth is misleading at first glance. To say that a wine is a “Fifth Growth” could cause one to think the wine is inferior. There is nothing inferior about Fifth Growth wines. The classification is based on the prices and prestige of the wines in 1855. Some of the other Fifth Growth under the classification system include, Châteaux Pontet-Canet, Clerc-Milon, and Lynch-Bages, which is Château Haut-Bailly’s sister vineyard. Thus, Château Haut-Bailly is in very good company, indeed.

We went to the vineyards in Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank for a tour and lunch. Wines were first produced at the winery in the 15th century. They had recently completed a modernization and total renovation of the Grand Chai, or barrel room. The chai had been updated to concrete holding tanks, and the facility had been changed to a circular, modernized design, as opposed to the main building, which retained its 18th-century motif.

Lunch consisted of candied carrots, caviar, and hay cream, followed by beef, Jerusalem artichoke, and chartreuse pumpkin. A selection of cheeses and quince, lemon crémeux, and ice cream was an après amuse-bouche. The wine selections were Château Haut-Bailly 2017, Château Haut-Bailly 2015, and their Second Wine, La Parde Château, Haut-Bailly 2017. Pauillac is on the Left Bank. This means the dominant varietal is Cabernet Sauvignon.

Lunch

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Château Haut-Bailly 2017 is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot, aged in 60% new oak barrels. The color is a beautiful inky purple. The nose is dark fruits, particularly black currant and black cherry, followed by tobacco leaf, leather, and spices, with a hint of chocolate. The palate has beautifully rounded tannins and is medium-bodied with dark fruits, chocolate, and liquorice.

The Haut-Bailly 2015 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. It is also matured in 60% new oak. The increase of Cabernet Sauvignon, coupled with the reduction in Merlot, and the addition of Petit Verdot, results in a distinct difference from the 2017. There is a greater intensity of fruit, imparting blackberry, boysenberry, tobacco, and cedar aromas on the nose. The palate is subtle, medium-bodied, and well balanced, with agile tannins. Explosions of dark cherries and plums dance across the tongue, with secondary notes of graphite, smoke, violet, and mint. This is an inspiring wine.

The last wine of the afternoon was La Parde Château, Haut-Bailly 2017. This was the Château’s Second Label. I use the past tense “was” because, unfortunately, the Château discontinued the label following the 2021 vintage. This wine presents very well, especially for a second wine. It is too bad that it has been discontinued. It had grippy tannins with blackberries, red cherries, and violet notes. The acidity was medium, and the finish was medium-long.

This was the first of many times having the wines from Château Haut-Bailly. Discovering a new wine whilst enjoying a superb lunch at the vineyard is about as good as it gets.

57. Château Pavie Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2005 – A world-class wine from a picturesque appellation.

I think the village of Saint-Émilion is the most charming in Bordeaux. Saint-Émilion is simply alluring. The area dates from the Roman era. The iconic ruins outside the village harken back to the days of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II Plantagenet, and the Hundred Years War. Everything about it is magnificent, from the stained-glass church to the cobblestoned streets. But it is the wines of the Saint-Émilion appellation that bring me to my knees.

Another wine classification was created one hundred years after Napoléon III mandated the “First Growths” of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. 1955 proved to be a pivotal year for the wines of Bordeaux’s Saint-Émilion appellation. The 1955 classification applied to Right Bank wines of Saint-Émilion, whereas the 1855 certification applied to the wines from the Left Bank Médoc and Graves regions. There was one more significant difference: The wines of the 1955 classification are periodically updated, the latest being in 2012.

There are four categories of wine in the 1955 Saint-Émilion classification: Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé “B,” and lastly, Premier Grand Cru Classé “A.” Premier Grand Cru Classé A wines include Châteaux Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Pavie, and Angélus.

Château Pavie is a stunning example of the Saint-Émilion appellation. Vines were first planted by the Romans as far back as the 4th century. Château Pavie succeeded in raising Pavie to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 1955.

The estate was acquired by a new owner, Gérard Perse in 1998. He also owns Château Monbousquet, Château Pavie-Decesse and Château Bellevue Mondotte. His plan was to revolutionize the estate and the winemaking.

Enter one of my favorite oenologists, Michel Rolland. In 2012, Pavie was elevated in the Saint-Émilion AOC Classification from Premier Grand Cru Classé “B” to Premier Grand Cru Classé “A.” This placed Pavie as one of the premier Châteaux of Saint-Émilion alongside Châteaux Ausone, Cheval Blanc, and Angélus. Robert Parker wrote that “Pavie potentially rivals nearby Ausone, the oldest and possibly the most famous estate in Bordeaux.”

The wine has been a much lighter style since Gérard Perse acquired the Château. The wine is now more subtle and elegant, although some think that the wines produced by the Château before 1998 were a greater expression of Saint-Émilion.

The 2005 vintage is a blend of 70.00% Merlot, 25.00% Cabernet Franc, and 5.00% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a deep, inky purple-color. There were notes of crème-de-cassis, blackberries, toasty oak, and graphite on the nose. The palate was of dense dark fruits, chocolate, truffle, spice, and sous-bois undertones with an incredible minerality. It was a full-bodied wine with sweet, mature tannins, and concentrated acidity. This wine was lush, smooth, and impressive, leading to a remarkable lingering finish. I had Pavie before, and one could not help but enjoy it. However, this time I was enjoying a brilliant 2005 vintage at dinner in Bordeaux, which somehow made it just that much better.

Robert Parker wrote, in scoring the 2005 vintage a perfect 100 points, “Forget it for another 3-5 years, and drink it over the following 50-100 years!” He was so right! Now, if only I could be around to try it then.

Santé!