TN: L'Hospitalet de Gazin Pomerol 2005

[roadfork]

Wow!!! What a wine, the best ’05 I have had under $50. Some cedar and deep dark fruit on a nose; rich almost glycerin on a mid-palate with layers upon layers of dark chocolate and ripe cherries and a long smooth finish. This wine is like satin in your mouth so silky smooth … well it is should say ….. “hedonistic”.

Cheers, Albert

[Jay Winton]

2nd label?

[AlexR]

Very interesting Jay.

2nd wines get a lot of flak, so it's nice to see one that delivers!

Gazin sold their best part to Pétrus in 1973, but they have spruced up their winemaking significantly in recent years, and are doing good work.

A Pomerol that's good value for money - now that's something that's pretty rare!

All the best,
Alex

[roadfork]

Jay,

I believe that most grapes for their second label come from gravel and not clay part of their vineyard, yet it is still 90+% Merlot.

Alex,

Retail is $50, while distributor price is $35. I do not remember how much or if it was available/offered as a future. Value for Pomerol as you noted is great, but it is taste that completely blew me away. We did line up of ’05 big boys a year ago and this wine would be in a top three at fraction of price. On a sour note, I was at a mini-vertical of Lafite(’75,’79, 81, 82, 83, 86) last Sunday and would not even dare to post my comments and opinions with ’82 being least liked wine of the bunch!

Cheers, Albert

[AlexR]

Albert,

I think you would be doing a public service to post those notes on Lafite...

Things have gone seriously wrong when:

- the notion of value of money goes out the window
but more importantly
- the leaders, with the fantastic premium they demand, are incapable of strutting their stuff.

All the best,
Alex

[Jay Winton]

thanks for the info, gentlemen