Château La Gaffelière - Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé 2021

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.

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!

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This wine is beautifully textured, with intense black fruit aromas and rich tannins. Its refined aromas give it exceptional finesse and texture. Ready to age, it can be enjoyed from 2028.

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

About the wine:

La Gaffelière's Saint-Émilion 2021 is a wine of sublime elegance and discreet finesse. Aromatic and supple, it reveals the delicacy of this vintage, while retaining the house signature. Lavender, mocha, spices, dried herbs and leather are among the many notes that sublimate this exquisite Saint-Emilion. Its balance is simply breathtaking. It's worth keeping, as it won't be ready for drinking any time soon. Drink between 2031 and 2061.

James Suckling

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The nose is deep, sanguine, smoky and vibrant, revealing the Cabernet Franc signature and the in-depth work done here in recent years. The frame is slender, serene, precise, devilishly liquorice, on a coulis of rock with a fine roughness, tracing, mineral. No hollows in the material, which unfolds: it's a great terroir that makes the difference. Château La Gaffelière 2021 confirms its progress in precision, energy and juiciness.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

The complexity of La Gaffelière's bouquet sets the stage. This plurality and depth are the result of a quest for perfection, on the lookout for the complexity that the terroir is capable of conferring, but you still have to tame it! I think we've done just that, especially after tasting the wine. In fact, the grandeur announced by the bouquet is completely assumed by the palate. The wine has density, tight tannins and an acid structure that perfectly carries the aromatic intensity through to the finish. As a reminder, a great wine is characterized by its ability to perform well in more complicated vintages... Mission accomplished! A wine to have in your cellar... 2026-2046