Clos La Gaffelière Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020 - Second vin

Ideally located on the hillside that extends from Ausone and leads to Belair-Monange, La Gaffelière has undergone a gentle revolution over the past decade: on half of its 22 hectares, under the guidance of Alexandre Malet-Roquefort (whose family has been in Saint-Émilion since the 15th century), the vineyard’s grape varieties have been optimally repositioned. Merlot vines have been uprooted and replaced with Cabernet Franc, which now extends from the sandy soils up the hillside. Its proportion in the blend has increased, reaching up to 40% of the final blend. The results are compelling, yielding wines that are more complex and floral, while preserving the fruit and freshness.

Vibrant plum, cranberry, and cherry, with an alluring freshness. Simple and appealing, with a hint of limestone and a chalky finish. The second wine of Château La Gaffelière, produced since 1985. It has its own cellar, with grapes sourced from specific plots. 2022–2032

This vineyard, which takes its name from a medieval leper hospital (“gaffet”), is located just outside the southern entrance to Saint-Émilion, between Ausone Hill and Pavie Hill. Here, time is measured not in years but in centuries: the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa believed to have belonged to the poet Ausonius have been found here. The Malet Roquefort family (now Count Léo de Malet Roquefort) has been established here since the 17th century. On a single, contiguous 22-hectare clay-limestone vineyard planted with Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc, a Premier Grand Cru Classé B is produced; since 2013, it has been crafted in fully renovated winemaking facilities.

Alongside a major restructuring of the vineyard—led by the Derenoncourt team (which involved uprooting and replanting 5 hectares of Cabernet Franc on the magnificent limestone slopes south of the village)—Alexandre de Malet, now at the helm, has invested heavily in the technical overhaul of the winemaking facility. Following investments in plantings since 2000 and an upgrade of cultivation equipment, La Gaffelière’s production facilities now rank among the elite of the First Growths. Eventually, 80% of the estate’s flagship wine will come from the hillside vineyards (under Belair), leaving the lower slopes—generous but less refined—to the second wine, Clos La Gaffelière. In the 1970s and 1980s, La Gaffelière did not always produce a wine worthy of its standing. The worst of that period is now well behind us, and, as fate would have it, the de Malet Roquefort family has just purchased Château Puy-Blanquet, 20 hectares (19 of which are in production) in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, on a clay-limestone ridge overlooking the Dordogne, which they had sold to the Jacquet family in the 1960s for inheritance reasons. Embodying a classic yet expressive style, without excess, built on the finesse of the wine’s mid-palate, this first growth—with its exceptional topography—continues to surprise, especially since its prices remain reasonable. Here, we find ourselves at the heart of what is most sensual and unique in Saint-Émilion!

Clos La Gaffelière 2020 is a very appealing second wine. It is slightly darker and more open than the Grand Vin, which gives it a certain immediacy. Notes of black cherry, plum, spices, chocolate, and leather unfold pleasantly in the glass. This supple and juicy Saint-Émilion will be ready to drink right from its release. 2025–2035

It features aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, crushed nuts, black licorice, and cedar. Medium-bodied, with firm yet velvety tannins. It is taut and lively, with a polished finish and notes of crushed stone and walnut shells on the aftertaste. Excellent for a second wine. Best enjoyed after 2025.

A dominant note of blackcurrant—pure and alluring—with a hint of blackcurrant leaf. Beautiful fruit on the palate, light yet full-bodied. Well-balanced, with a chewy finish.