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

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.

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!

This wine has a magnificent texture, intense black fruit aromas, and rich tannins. Its refined aromas give it exceptional finesse and texture. Suitable for aging, it will be ready to drink starting in 2028.

La Gaffelière’s 2021 Saint-Émilion is a wine of sublime elegance and understated finesse. Aromatic and supple, it reveals the delicacy of this vintage while retaining the estate’s signature style. Lavender, mocha, spices, dried herbs, and leather are among the many notes that enhance this exquisite Saint-Émilion. Its balance is simply breathtaking. It is a wine to be cellared, as it will not be ready to drink anytime soon. Best enjoyed between 2031 and 2061.

A deep, blood-red, smoky, vibrant nose reveals the signature Cabernet Franc character and the meticulous work carried out here in recent years. The structure is slender, sap-filled, precise, and intensely licorice-like, set against a backdrop of rock with a subtle roughness—defining and mineral. There’s no dip in the body as it unfolds: it’s a great terroir that makes all the difference. Château La Gaffelière 2021 once again confirms its progress in precision, energy, and juiciness.

The complexity evident in La Gaffelière’s bouquet sets the stage from the very beginning. This richness and depth are the result of a quest for perfection, seeking out the complexity that the terroir is capable of imparting—but it still must be tamed! I believe this has been achieved, especially after tasting the wine. Indeed, the grandeur hinted at by the bouquet is fully realized on the palate. The wine has density, tight tannins, and an acidic structure that perfectly carries the aromatic intensity all the way to the finish. It’s worth noting, for the record, that a great wine is characterized by its ability to perform well in more challenging vintages… Mission accomplished! A wine you must have in your cellar… 2026–2046