Wow! This wine exceeded my enthusiastic barrel tasting notes. A big, back-strapping blockbuster from Gazin, in which the oak seems to be pushed into the background (thankfully), the wine offers up notes of caramelized black cherry and black currant fruit interwoven with mocha, white chocolate, subtle toast and hints of coffee beans and tobacco leaf. The exceptional aromatics are easily followed up by a full-bodied, powerful, broodingly backward, rich, intense wine with multiple dimensions, layers of fruit, and a sensational finish of close to a minute. This is one of the all-time great efforts from Gazin. It should be forgotten for 6-10 years and drunk over the following 30 to 40.

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Gazin charges out of the gate with bold boysenberries, baked plums and Christmas cake notes plus hints of unsmoked cigars and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with baked black fruit, framed by firm, ambitious tannins, finishing long and mineral tinged. Drink 2020-2046.

A subtle red with ultra-fine tannins that accentuate a palate of chocolate, berries and nuts. Full and very round. It's refined and beautiful. Hard not to drink now but wait at least five years. Top wine from Gazin.