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

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Ideally situated on the slope that extends from Ausone to Belair-Monange, La Gaffelière has undergone a gentle revolution over the last decade: half of the 22 hectares have been planted under the leadership of Alexandre Malet-Roquefort (whose family has been in Saint-Émilion since the 15th century), with a more balanced grape variety. Merlot was uprooted and Cabernet Franc replanted, moving from the sands to the hillsides. The percentage of Cabernet Franc rose to 40% of the final blend. The result is more complex, floral wines that respect fruit and freshness.

Decanter

About the wine:

Bright plum, cranberry and cherry, seductive freshness. Simple and attractive, with a touch of limestone and a chalky finish. Second wine of Château La Gaffelière, made since 1985. It has its own cellar, with grapes from specific parcels. 2022 - 2032

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Named after a medieval hospital for lepers ("gaffet"), this cru lies at the southern entrance to Saint-Émilion, between the hills of Ausone and Pavie. Here, we don't count in years, but in centuries: the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa, said to have belonged to the poet Ausone, have been found. The Malet Roquefort family (today Count Léo de Malet Roquefort) has been established here since the 17th century. On a 22-hectare single vineyard of clay-limestone soil, planted with Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc, a 1ergrand cru classé B has been produced since 2013 in completely refurbished technical buildings.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

In parallel with a profound restructuring of the vineyard, under the leadership of the Derenoncourt team (uprooting and replanting 5 hectares of Cabernet Franc on the magnificent limestone slopes to the south of the village), Alexandre de Malet, now at the helm, has invested heavily in the technical overhaul of the vat room. After investments in plantations since 2000 and a renewal of the cultivation equipment, La Gaffelière's production facilities are now on a par with the elite of the premier grands crus classés. Eventually, 80% of the grand vin will come from vines on the hillside (under Belair), leaving the generous but less racy lower slopes to the second wine, Clos La Gaffelière. In the 70s and 80s, La Gaffelière didn't always produce a wine worthy of its rank. The low point is now well behind us and, in a welcome turn of events, the de Malet Roquefort family has just bought Château Puy-Blanquet, 20 hectares (19 in production) in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, on a clay-limestone hilltop overlooking the Dordogne, which it had sold to the Jacquet family in the 1960s for inheritance reasons. Defending a classic but expressive style, without excess, built on the finesse of the second half of the palate, this first wine in an exceptional topographical situation has not ceased to surprise, all the more so as it still commands understandable prices. This is the heart of Saint-Émilion's most sensual and singular wines!

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

Clos La Gaffelière 2020 is a very attractive second wine. It is a little darker and more open than the Grand Vin, giving it a certain immediacy. Black cherry, plum, spice, chocolate and leather develop nicely in the glass. This supple, juicy Saint-Emilion will drink well straight from the bottle. 2025 - 2035

James Suckling

About the wine:

Aromas of black fruits, chocolate, crushed nuts, black licorice and cedar wood. Medium-bodied, with firm, mellow tannins. Taut and tonic, with a polished finish and notes of crushed stone and walnut shells on the finish. Excellent for a second wine. Try it after 2025.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

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