Château La Gaffelière - Saint-Émilion

95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
Château La Gaffelière - Saint-Émilion - 2014 - 75cl - Onshore Cellars

Château La Gaffelière - Saint-Émilion

95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
92 points - The Wine Advocate
91 points - The Wine Advocate
Vintage
Size
Regular price €110.40
/
  • In stock
  • Inventory on the way
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
The 2019 La Gaffelière wafts from the glass with a rich bouquet of blackberries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of burning embers and loamy soil that's framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, it's a concentrated, vibrant wine built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. Its vivid fruit tones and classical balance make this Cabernet Franc-rich blend a promising candidate for sustained bottle age. Anyone who has tasted the great wines this estate produced in the 1950s and 1960s knows how great this site can be; and with stricter selection as well as the elimination of fruit from vines growing on the plain from the blend, that potential appears to be being unleashed at last.
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 La Gaffeliere opens with compelling wild blueberries, freshly crushed plums and kirsch scents plus hints of garrigue, underbrush, rose hip tea and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant with a soft, velvety texture and seamless freshness carrying the multilayered fruit to a long finish.
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 La Gaffeliere has a slightly reticent, broody nose of black truffles, fertile loam and mossy bark over a core of warm plums, crushed black berries and black cherries plus a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied with firm and very finely grained tannins with layers of softly spoken fruit and great freshness, it finishes long.
The 2014 La Gaffeliere appears to have improved since it's showing in barrel (I did hint at this at the time). The nose is perfumed and slightly floral, certainly well defined with neatly integrated oak, dark fruit emerging with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy, chalky tannin on the entry, shrouded by plenty of dusky black fruit and a potent, graphite-tinged finish. This is one to watch.
Very elegant kirsch liqueur-like notes mixed with liquorice, spice and earth jump from the glass of this famous St.-Emilion, long-owned by the Malet Roquefort family. A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, this has slightly more acidity and structure than some St.-Emilions. The limestone-dominated terroir comes through in the wine’s striking and very powerful minerality. It is medium-bodied, elegant, tightly knit and probably in need of 2-4 years of bottle age. It should drink well for the following 15 years.
Deep garnet coloured, the 2010 La Gaffelière is quite closed to begin, slowly unfurling to give scents of baked raspberries, kirsch, dried mulberries and plum pudding plus nuances of pencil shavings and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate layers in the savoury and earthy flavours with a firm frame of chewy tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
A spectacular effort, the 2009 is one of the all-time great La Gaffelière produced. One would have to go back to the 2005, 1947 or 1961 to find this level of quality from this ancient, historic vineyard planted adjacent to the walls of St.-Emilion, on the Cote Pavie. Dating back to the 1400s, this estate has been owned for over three centuries by the Malet-Roquefort family. Composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc (in the past it was two-thirds Merlot and the rest split between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc), the 2009 reveals compelling elegance, tremendous intensity and opulence and more viscosity than one normally sees. Lots of kirsch, liquorice, incense, truffle, asphalt, blackberry, and cassis notes dominate the aromatics and flavours of this full-bodied, viscous, fabulously pure, flamboyant St.-Emilion. Drinking it now may be considered infanticide by some consumers, but it is already attractive, and should last for 3-4 decades.
This wine is looked after by Stephane Derenoncourt, who has turned out a beautifully elegant, dark plum/purple-colored 2008 with notes of black cherries, blackberries, damp earth, truffle, and a hint of spicy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannin and a long, rich finish, this impressively endowed wine should hit its peak in 4-5 years and last for two decades or more.
The finest La Gaffeliere I have ever tasted, the prodigious 2005 boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a flamboyant bouquet of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, blackberries, smoked meats, incense, and Asian spice. Fabulously deep and full-bodied as well as ethereal and exceptionally elegant for its explosive richness and intensity, its lightness of being reflects the vineyard’s sensational terroir. This succulent beauty appears to be approachable, but that belies some significant tannins
A beautiful wine from proprietor Count Leo Malet De Roquefort, the 2003 La Gaffeliere was produced from yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare and the harvest occurred between September 19-27. The final blend was 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Beautifully fulfilling my predictions made eleven years ago, it is a broad, full-bodied, savoury red displaying notes of fruitcake, unsmoked cigar tobacco, truffles, incense, black cherries and black currants. Fleshy and close to full maturity, but in no danger of falling apart, this beauty should drink well for another decade or longer.
This elegant, fully mature 2000 St.-Emilion reveals notes of roasted herbs, sandy, loamy soil, black currants, cassis, and a hint of incense. Medium-bodied and pure with outstanding harmony and freshness, it should last for another decade or more.
Type:
Red
Country:
France
Region:
Bordeaux
Appellation:
Saint-Emilion
Producer:
Château La Gaffelière
Grapes/Blend:
Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Serving temp:
16° - 18° C
Pairing Sugesstions:
Lamb, Beef, Venison, Game Birds, Duck, Mushrooms

Local Delivery

We have a fleet of vans that deliver throughout the French and Italian Riviera, rates calculated based on distance at cart stage. Option to book time and date.

For deliveries further afield, please call for a quote:  +33 4 65 84 99 51

France / Monaco

1 - 2 working days delivery in France, for orders placed before 2pm.

Options for couriers and drop off points available at checkout.

EU - Mainland

1 - 3 day delivery throughout mainland EU, for orders placed before 2pm. Allow an extra day for islands. 

Options for couriers and drop off points available at checkout.

Rest of the World

Please call for a quote:  +33 4 65 84 99 51

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Behind the bottle

Bordeaux - Onshore Cellars

Bordeaux

Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90...
Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90 percent of production volume) are the dry, medium- and full-bodied red Bordeaux Blends that established its reputation.

The finest (and most expensive) of these are the wines from the great châteaux of the Haut-Médoc and the Right Bank appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former is focused (at the top level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter pair on on Merlot.

The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites to challenge the best from the Burgundy region (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned) to the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes.
Explore Bordeaux
Saint-Émilion

Saint-Emilion

Saint-Émilion is a wine appellation located in the Bordeaux region of France. It is known for producing some of the finest red wines in the world, with a...

Saint-Émilion is a wine appellation located in the Bordeaux region of France. It is known for producing some of the finest red wines in the world, with a history dating back to the Roman era.

The style of production in Saint-Émilion is heavily influenced by the region's unique terroir, which is characterized by limestone and clay soils. The grapes grown here are primarily Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Malbec and Petit Verdot also grown in smaller quantities.

The wines produced in Saint-Émilion are typically full-bodied and complex, with rich fruit flavors and a long, smooth finish. They are often described as having a velvety texture, with notes of blackberry, plum, and cherry, as well as hints of spice and oak.

One of the most notable features of Saint-Émilion wines is their aging potential. Many of the top wines from this appellation can be cellared for decades, developing even more complexity and depth over time.

The history of winemaking in Saint-Émilion dates back to the 8th century, when a monk named Emilion settled in the area and began producing wine. Over the centuries, the region's reputation for quality wine grew, and in 1955, Saint-Émilion was officially recognized as an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC).

Today, there are over 1,000 wine producers in Saint-Émilion, ranging from small family-owned estates to large commercial operations. Many of these producers are committed to sustainable and organic farming practices, ensuring that the region's unique terroir is preserved for future generations.

Overall, Saint-Émilion is a truly exceptional wine appellation, producing some of the finest red wines in the world. Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or a casual enthusiast, a bottle of Saint-Émilion is sure to impress.

Read more
You may also like
Recently viewed