Another remarkable effort from Gazin, the big, powerful, dense 2010 boasts an opaque purple color along with loads of black currant and kirsch-like fruit intermixed with licorice, caramel, mocha and toasty oak. This seriously endowed, broodingly backward cuvee requires 6-8 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades or more. Score: 93-95 Robert Parker, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Tasted at the Syndicat de Pomerol. Gazin has been on form in recent vintages. The 2010 has a very pure bouquet with superb lift and purity: black cherries and raspberry, crushed stone underneath. The palate is full-bodied with grippy tannins, very good acidity, compact and masculine, huge weight on the finish, great length and ambition. Superb. Tasted April 2011.Score: 94-95 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com

This is a little tight. But it shows plenty of coffee and chocolate notes and dark fruits. Full and silky. I really like the polish to the tannins. Score: 92-93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Very dark and lustrous with some ruby at the rim. High toned and aromatic. Very comfortable and unforced. Highly successful with real vivacity. Dry finish. Was this on some clay? Well done! Quite juicy. Score: 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com