Clos La Gaffelière Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020 - Second vin
93/100
Le Figaro
92/100
James Suckling
92/100
RVF
91-93/100
Vinous
91/100
Decanter
"A very appealing second wine, supple and juicy, which will drink well as soon as it is released! ~ Vinous"
"It has aromas of black fruit, chocolate, crushed nuts, black licorice, and cedar wood. Medium-bodied, with firm, mellow tannins. It is taut and lively, with a polished finish and notes of crushed stone and walnut shells on the palate. Excellent for a second wine. " (James Suckling 2022) - Created in 1985, the second wine Clos La Gaffelière is vinified and aged with as much care as its elder, classified as a Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé.
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Eye
Beautiful dark, intense color
Nose
Aromatic with notes of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, and chocolate
Mouth
Supple with integrated tannins, beautiful balance, and a pleasant freshness on the finish.
Serve
At 17-18°C
Open
1 hour before
Drink from
2024
Drink before
2032
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy with duck confit, shepherd's pie, chocolate ganache...
Bettane & Desseauve
4-star estate (Producers of very high quality, the pride of French vineyards)
About the estate:
Ideally located on the coastline that extends from Ausone to Belair-Monange, La Gaffelière has undergone a gentle revolution over the last decade: under the leadership of Alexandre Malet-Roquefort (whose family has been in Saint-Émilion since the 15th century), half of the 22 hectares have been replanted with a better mix of grape varieties. Merlot vines have been pulled up and replaced with Cabernet Franc, which has been moved from the sandy soils to the hillside. Its percentage has increased to 40% of the final blend. The result is convincing, with more complex, floral wines that respect the fruit and freshness.
Decanter
Wine rated (2021 guide) 91/100
About wine:
Bright plum, cranberry, and cherry, seductive freshness. Simple and appealing, with a touch of limestone and a chalky finish. Second wine of Château La Gaffelière, produced since 1985. It has its own cellar, with grapes from specific plots. 2022–2032
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated estate (2019 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer's wines are regularly recognized by the guide)
About the estate:
This vineyard, which takes its name from a medieval hospital for lepers ("gaffet"), is located at the southern entrance to Saint-Émilion, between the hills of Ausone and Pavie. Here, time is measured not in years but in centuries: the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa believed to have belonged to the poet Ausone have been found here. The Malet Roquefort family (now Count Léo de Malet Roquefort) has been established here since the 17th century. On a 22-hectare vineyard of clay-limestone soil planted with Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc, a Premier Grand Cru Classé B wine is produced, which has been made since 2013 in completely renovated technical buildings.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated estate (2021 guide) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2024 guide) 92/100
Rated estate (2023 guide) 2 stars (These very large estates, often blessed with fabulous terroirs, are must-haves which, thanks to their consistency and the excellence of their production, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers).
About the estate:
Alongside a major restructuring of the vineyard under the leadership of the Derenoncourt team (uprooting and replanting 5 hectares of Cabernet Franc on the magnificent limestone hillsides south of the village), Alexandre de Malet, now at the helm, has invested heavily in the technical overhaul of the winery. Following investments in planting since 2000 and the renewal of cultivation equipment, La Gaffelière's production facilities are now on a par with those of the elite premier grands crus classés. Ultimately, 80% of the grand vin will come from the hillside vines (under Belair), leaving the lower slopes, which are generous but less distinguished, for the second wine, Clos La Gaffelière. In the 1970s and 1980s, La Gaffelière did not always produce a wine worthy of its rank. The worst is now well behind us and, in a fitting turn of events, the Malet Roquefort family has just bought Château Puy-Blanquet, 20 hectares (including 19 in production) in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, on a clay-limestone hilltop overlooking the Dordogne, which it had sold in the 1960s to the Jacquet family for inheritance reasons. Defending a classic but expressive style, without excess, built on the finesse of the second part of the palate, this premier cru with its exceptional topography continues to surprise, especially as its prices remain reasonable. Here we are at the heart of what is most sensual and unique in Saint-Émilion!
Jancis Robinson
Rated Recommended
Vinous
Wine rated (2021 guide) 91-93/100
About wine:
Clos La Gaffelière 2020 is a very attractive second wine. It is slightly darker and more open than the Grand Vin, giving it a certain immediacy. Black cherry, plum, spices, chocolate, and leather develop nicely in the glass. This supple and juicy Saint-Émilion will drink well as soon as it is released. 2025–2035
James Suckling
Wine rated (2022 guide) 92/100
Rated estate (2021 guide) Recommended
About wine:
It has aromas of black fruit, chocolate, crushed nuts, black licorice, and cedar wood. Medium-bodied, with firm, mellow tannins. It is taut and lively, with a polished finish and notes of crushed stone and walnut shells on the palate. Excellent for a second wine. Try after 2025.
Le Figaro vins
Wine rated (2023 guide) 93/100
About wine:
A dominant note of blackcurrant, pure and seductive, with a hint of blackcurrant leaf. Beautiful fruit on the palate, light and dense at the same time. Well-balanced, with a chewy finish.