Château Gazin Pomerol 1982 IMPERIAL 6000ml

The 1982 Château Gazin Pomerol in Imperial format (6.0 litres) is a remarkable rarity. This bottle size is equivalent to eight standard bottles and is of great interest to collectors and for special occasions.

🍷 The wine and the 1982 vintage

Château Gazin from Pomerol is a classic example of a wine from the right bank of Bordeaux. The 26-hectare vineyard is situated on the upper terrace of the Pomerol plateau and is predominantly planted with Merlot (approx. 90 per cent), supplemented by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wine is matured traditionally in barriques.

The 1982 vintage is regarded as legendary in Bordeaux. Specific tasting notes are available for the 1982 Gazin: Wine Spectator described it as a “concentrated, delicious wine” with a ruby-red colour and an amber rim, aromas of chocolate, ripe fruit and shellfish, full-bodied and very mature, with velvety tannins and a long finish (91 points). Jancis Robinson noted in 2005: “Very, very deep crimson. Reserved on the nose. Dense. Austere. Dry. Substance rather than charm, but with a firm structure and a slow development.” Its drinking window: 2005–2015. The general drinking window is given as 1995–2015. Further descriptions highlight aromas of black and red fruits, leather, spices and truffles, which develop over time.

🍾 The Imperial bottle (6.0 litres)

An Imperial (also known as an Impériale) holds 6.0 litres – equivalent to eight standard bottles (750 ml each). These large bottles are remarkable for several reasons:

• Slower ageing: Due to the lower level of oxygen exposure relative to the volume of wine, wines in large formats age significantly more slowly. An Imperial can therefore still appear surprisingly fresh and fruit-forward even after decades, whilst the same wine in standard bottles may already have passed its peak.

• Rarity: Imperial bottlings are produced in very limited quantities and are consequently rare on the market.

• Presentation value: An Imperial is an impressive format for special occasions and a sought-after collector’s item.

📜 Availability and auction records

There is concrete evidence of the 1982 Château Gazin in Imperial format appearing at auction. Christie’s offered one Imperial per lot, describing its condition as follows: “In original wooden case, affected by damp. Damaged wax capsule, resealed wax over cork. Badly soiled and damaged label. Level into neck’. This shows that such bottles are indeed in circulation, albeit often with age-related signs of wear on the label and capsule.

Another Christie’s listing also features one 1 Impériale per lot for the 1982 vintage. These examples demonstrate that the Imperial format exists for this wine and is occasionally offered at major auctions.

🕰️ Drinking window and conclusion

According to most sources, the Château Gazin 1982 has already passed its peak drinking window (1995–2015). In the Imperial format, however, the wine is likely to appearsignificantly fresher and younger than from a standard bottle due to its slower maturation . A bottle in this format could therefore still – provided it has been stored well – offer great drinking pleasure today, although its flavour is likely to differ from that of a 0.75-litre bottle.

If you own or wish to purchase such a bottle, it is advisableto have an expert assess the fill level, the capsule and the label in order to evaluate its provenance and condition.