Since taking over management of the domaine in 2010, Olivier Techer has contributed his energetic, youthful outlook to this already ground-breaking estate. He has built on the pioneering work of his mother, Claire Laval, who was the first in Pomerol to farm organically. Olivier has cemented this commitment to sustainability by acquiring bio-dynamic certification, and has experimented in depth with the nuances of sulfur, aging vessels, and blending.
The châteaux’s grand vin, however, maintains a flavor profile as classic as can be, with a rich, velvety texture and vivid fruit suggesting blackberry and plum. The incredible depth, power, and fine but grippingly youthful tannins are text-book Pomerol, in the style upon which this great appellation built its reputation. Old vintages of Gombaude-Guillot dazzle with aromas of truffle, cocoa, and turned earth, and this 2015 is perfect for the cellar. Already approachable, it will improve for twenty years or more.
—Kermit Lynch