“There’s something about mature Bordeaux that is magical.” - Vinography

Appy Friday! This is a wine you need to know about… Unless you have been living under a rock, if you are a fan of wine, you have heard of Château Pétrus.

LEGENDARY, $4,000+ per bottle, one of the most valuable wines IN THE WORLD!

Now, here is the fun part – nearly 40% of this magical terrior, the secret sauce that makes Pétrus SOOOOO VALUABLE, was sold to them less than sixty-years-ago by Château Gazin!

THAT’S RIGHT! $4k+? Or less than $95?!

Gazin shares the famous geological anomaly of the Pétrus boutonnière and it’s magical blue clay. When we say they are neighbors, it’s NOT an exaggeration. The buildings are less than 300ft apart. Set on a contiguous parcel (like Pétrus but a rarity in Pomerol), Gazin is one of the oldest and the highest elevation vineyard in Pomerol – a prime location that should translate into a MUCH more expensive price tag.

So, why the difference? Managed by fifth-generation Nicolas de Bailliencourt, the family’s focus was and remains on preserving the legacy of the Château and allowing people to experience this magical site. Translation: unlike Pétrus, which is managed as an ultra-luxury product, they do everything they can to keep the wine actually attainable. No frills, no fancy flourishes to grab attention, just quality farming and winemaking. They even lease their barrels to keep costs down. And who said nobility is dead?

In this particular vintage, their terroir was key to the success of this wine. The famous blue clay of the site acts as sponge, soaking up water in wet years, releasing just enough during droughts to keep everything healthy. During a dry year like 2011, this reduction in hydric stress still yielded plump fruit, with plenty of freshness and structure.

James Suckling was bullish on the vintage’s merits, “As I wrote in the past, the biggest problem with 2011, besides the prices, is that it came after 2010 and 2009 - the two legendary vintages that I believe are the best ever after 1961 and 1959. Few people took 2011 very seriously.” He goes on to add, “For reds, I am definitely a fan of the Right Bank over the Left Bank. The later made wines with tough and chewy tannins that will need many years to soften. The former, especially the area on the border of Pomerol and St. Emilion (like Gazin) where the great names are located, made softer and fruiter reds.”

While most critics were hesitant to award big scores to anyone in 2011 (Pétrus itself topped out at 95…), we tried this in Bordeaux last April, and cannot recommend it highly enough!

It is an absolute star! Bursting with warmed blackberry and plums, supported by complex leather, pipe tobacco, cedar, truffle, and exotic spices, this is what aged Pomerol should aspire to. The palate is rich and velvety but still fresh and lively, humming with a brilliant energy but comforting, and oh-so long. Fifteen years on, it’s in its dancing days – great now but able to mature a further seven-plus years, easy!

If you love the magic of aged Bordeax, if you are a believer in the magic of terroir, if you’re a little Pétrus curious but don’t want to spend four-grand, this is your wine.

We locked down as much as we could, but this one’s gonna go, FAST! Your turn.

94 Points – Christopher Byklum “Ruby, garnet rim. Scented, blackberries, anise, spices, fruit forward and detailed nose. Some dates and tobacco. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, liquorice, blackberries, anise, spices, layered, long. Tasted April, 2026.”

93+ Points – Wine Advocate “A powerful, virile 2011, Gazin reveals a dense ruby/purple color, a big, meaty, earthy richness, lots of coffee, black cherry liqueur and spice notes, and a full-bodied mouthfeel. It will benefit from another 3-4 years of cellaring and should keep for 15+ years. Drink 2017-2032.”