Château La Croix de Gay: Vineyards
As already indicated, the estate is located in a small hamlet named in Pignon, near the Barbanne, which defines the Pomerol appellation boundary. In fact, the estate is Pignon; this small collection of buildings grew up around the workings of the estate, and all are related somehow. At the top of the estate sit two rather bijou châteaux, either side of the Impasse de Pignon which runs down the centre of the hamlet.
No doubt this was once a public right of way, although it has long ago seemingly been absorbed into the private estate and it is now secured by iron gates painted the same green hue as the iron railings in front of the two châteaux (they have had a fresh lick of paint since I took the photograph below, I assure you). On these iron railings hang two large signs declaring the estate as the origin of both Château La Croix de Gay and Château La Fleur de Gay. Opposite sits Château du Domaine de L’Église, the domaines facing each other across the Route de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle.
Those wishing to sell the virtues of Château La Croix de Gay will relate it to nearby Château L’Église-Clinet or similar, but for a more realistic comparison we should look to its neighbours on either side along the line of the road or river, Château Rouget to the west, Château Le Gay, Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Château Lafleur-Gazin and Château Gazin to the east.
