La Gaffeliere

A great wine deep-rooted in the heart of St Emilion. The blend of wines from the slope and the foot of the hillside produces a nectar, which is powerful, racy and silky. This harmony is found in each vintage of the estate.

1999

Wine Advocate 89: The 1999 is an elegant, finesse-styled, medium-bodied effort revealing lovely strawberry and currant fruit with a hint of sour cherries, a judicious touch of oak, medium body, and excellent purity. It creeps up on the taster in subtle increments. I always laugh when critics of Michel Rolland, the great international oenologist who has done so much to improve wine quality throughout the world, say that his wines all taste the same. Do these ignorant observers realize he is the consultant for this stylish, restrained St.-Emilion?

2003

Wine Advocate 92: 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, savory 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. (Aug 28, 2014)

2008

Wine Advocate 91: This very strong effort achieved 14.5% natural alcohol in this vintage, and is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. 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. (May 02, 2011)

James Suckling 93: Bright and hard. Edgy and energetic with blackberry and chocolate. Medium to full body, firm tannins. Needs time, but I like it.

Wine Enthusiast 93: Perfumed wine, soft and opulent. There are great spice and violet aromas followed by smoothly integrated tannins and acidity. Full in the mouth, this is a gentle giant.

2011

Wine Advocate 91: This very strong effort achieved 14.5% natural alcohol in this vintage, and is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. 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.

James Suckling 91: An attractive wine with blackberry, black truffle and orange peel character. Medium body, firm tannins. Juicy finish. Drink now.

Falstaff 93: Dark ruby colour, purple reflections, delicate watery rim. Ripe dark berry fruit with a hint of liquorice, attractive floral note, fine sweet savouriness notes. Good complexity, pleasant red berry fruit, well-integrated tannins, fresh structure, fine heart cherry, already approachable, mineral, delicate nougat aftertaste, a versatile food companion.

2012

Wine Advocate 91+: Very elegant kirsch liqueur-like notes mixed with licorice, 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 (14% alcohol), 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. (Apr 30, 2015)

James Suckling 92: A friendly and delicious wine with berry and currant character. Medium body, firm tannins and a subtle finish.

Wine Enthusiast 92: This is a very dense wine, balancing ripe fruits with dark tannins and solid structure. A powerful and ripe wine, it's still a bit firm and dense, but certainly has great aging potential.

2015

Wine Advocate 94+: 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.

James Suckling 94: Impressive deep-set dark cherries, blueberries and dark plums here with neatly fitted spicy oak, which adds immediate complexity. Deep, long and fresh with vibrant acidity, underpinning ripe blackberries, plums and hints of chocolate. Superb wine. Try from 2022.

2021

Wine Advocate 93: The 2021 La Gaffelière is quite rich and generous by the standards of the vintage, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with licorice, pencil shavings and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it has good depth at the core, lively acids and a sapid finish.

James Suckling 94: Lovely reduction at first that gives an ashy feel to the red berries, crushed stones, subtle cream, hibiscus and some dark-colored fruit. The medium- to full-bodied palate unleashes plenty of fine-grained tannins. Fresh, bright and more vertically structured than many of its peers from this vintage, but it remains polished and textured. Lingering finish. Drink from 2024.

Vinous 96: The 2021 La Gaffelière is a wine of sublime elegance and understated finesse. Aromatic and pliant, the 2021 shows the more delicate side of the year, yet all the Gaffelière signatures are present. Lavender, mocha, spice, dried herbs and leather are some of the many notes that grace this exquisite Saint-Émilion. The balance here is mind-blowing.

Decanter 94: Fragrant and ripe fruit on the nose, perfumed black cherries and a dusting of milk chocolate. Lots of toasted aromatics too, wood, clove, cinnamon and spice. Weighty and well textured, this has a lovely presence on the palate, pure but with concentration yet cool at the same time. Stylish with energy and focus. Really sustains the palate, lots of movement and forward motion. One of the more complete wines in terms of energy and just harmony. Still the oak there so this will age but a great showing.

2023

James Suckling 94-95: The center-palate reflects excellent terroir, with blackberry, black-olive and walnut aromas and flavors. Tight center-palate with firm but creamy tannins and a flavorful, classy finish.