Château Gazin Winery
„A bastion of tradition.“
Family de Bailliencourt dit Courcol
Château Gazin Winery
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With an area of 24 hectares, Château Gazin is one of the largest wine estates in Pomerol. The history of the family and its vineyard dates back to the Middle Ages.
Château Gazin was formerly an estate of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta. In the Hospital de Pomeyrols in Pomerol, the order had accommodated and cared for pilgrims on the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. At the beginning of the 20th century, Louis Soualle, the great-grandfather of the current owners, acquired the estate. Today, the estate belongs to the de Bailliencourt dit Courcol family, who have a similarly long history to the estate. They come from a noble family from Landas (northern France). The epithet Courcol was bestowed on an ancestor in 1214 by Philippe-Auguste, King of France, for his achievements in war. Today, Nicolas de Bailliencourt and his son Christophe are the managing directors of the estate. Nicolas de Bailliencourt is one of the great personalities of Pomerol. He produces a classic Pomerol that needs a good ten years to shine.
Of the 24 hectares of the property, 19 are planted with vines. So far, Merlot accounts for 90 %, Cabernet Sauvignon for 7 % and Cabernet Franc for 3 %. However, in 2019, 2.5 hectares of Merlot were converted to Cabernet in order to meet the requirements of climate change. The vineyard is located on the Pomerol plateau, right next to the Pétrus vineyards. In fact, the Bailliencourts sold 4.5 hectares to Pétrus in 1969, increasing the current Pétrus estate by a third. The current vineyard is divided into 28 plots. While 21 of these parcels are located on the high plateau - at an altitude of 40.2 metres - the remaining seven are at an altitude of 30 metres. The soil consists of gravel and sand on a layer of loam and clay, with the middle plateau being somewhat sandier. The grapes are destemmed and vinified in cement tanks. Half of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in new barriques, in which it is also matured. The other half matures in multi-year barriques. The second wine, "L'Hospitalet de Gazin", is matured exclusively in used barriques.
photos: Château Gazin