The 1989 Chateau Gazin has long been a favorite of mine. It was a reminder of how great this estate's wines can be in a period when it was falling behind the pack. Here, the 1989 continued to show well, although I feel that it may just be on the downward slope. It still has a delightful, earthy, wild mushroom bouquet with warm terracotta tiles on a hot summer's day. The palate is medium-bodied and unashamedly rustic in style, a little frayed at the seams maybe, but still, at its core, there is delightful earthy red berry fruit, clove and bay leaf notes. The nose actually has more to offer than the palate these days, but it will continue to offer drinking pleasure over the next decade, even if recent vintages courtesy of Nicolas de Bailliencourt have been superior. Tasted January 2016.

Fully mature, this wine offers up notes of dried Provencal herbs intermixed with toffee, caramel, cedar, sweet black cherries, and candied licorice. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with low acidity, ripe tannin, and a soft, silky finish. It is far less voluminous and intense than the 1990, and also more evolved. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted, 12/02.