Château La Gaffelière 2022

Nestled in the heart of the rolling vineyards of Saint-Émilion, Château La Gaffelière, the Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate, embodies the elegance and tradition of a quality Bordeaux wine. Its history dates back several centuries, bearing witness to the richness of the terroir in this region.

The first traces of vines at La Gaffelière date back to the Middle Ages, but it was in the 18th century that the property acquired its distinctive character. The estate was then owned by the Malet-Roquefort family, who gave it its current name. Under their direction, La Gaffelière gained a reputation for quality and excellence in wine production. Over the centuries, La Gaffelière changed hands several times, but its commitment to quality remained constant. However, it was in the early 20th century that the estate entered a new era of prosperity with the arrival of the Malet de Roquefort family, who revitalized the property and modernized winemaking techniques.

In the 1980s, Château La Gaffelière came under the direction of the de Schepper-Heylemans family, who continued the commitment of their predecessors to excellence and innovation. Under their leadership, the estate continued to produce renowned wines, blending tradition and modernity to create expressive and elegant wines that capture the very essence of Saint-Émilion. The vineyards of La Gaffelière extend over approximately 40 hectares, benefiting from an exceptional terroir composed of clay-limestone soils and gravel, ideal for growing the emblematic grape varieties of Bordeaux: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

La Gaffelière wines are renowned for their elegance, complexity, and ability to age gracefully in the bottle. Their style is characterized by seductive aromas of ripe fruits, silky tannins, and a harmonious structure that reveals the finesse and depth of Saint-Émilion's terroir. Today, Château La Gaffelière remains a symbol of winemaking excellence in Saint-Émilion, with the de Schepper-Heylemans family at its helm, perpetuating with passion and dedication the heritage of this property.

"The 2022 Château La Gaffelière comes from a mix of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc that's from 22 hectares of classic Saint-Emilion limestone soils. The élevage spanned 19 months in just 50% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by a stunning nose of ripe red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy wood, and crushed stone-like minerality. With flawless balance, a pure, full-bodied, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it's the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted and will most likely warrant a perfect rating in a decade. This is pure Saint-Emilion brilliance! Give bottles 4-6 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-30 years." - Jeb Dunnuck, (02/27/2025), Ratings: 99, Drink: 2030-2060

"The 2022 La Gaffelière is fantastic, but it has also closed down considerably post-bottling. Supremely elegant and perfumed, the 2022 is an absolutely stunning wine. Blood orange, pomegranate, spice, white pepper, dried herbs and all sorts of floral overtones soar from the glass. The Franc is so impressive here. I don't expect this magical Saint-Émilion to be ready any time soon. Today, it is a wine of dazzling complexity and purity for the cellar." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (01/28/2025), Ratings: 99

"A little shy on the nose, straight and streamlined, so pure but with grip and attention-holding tannins, very softly grainy but also fresh and mineral giving licks of flint, graphite and mint. Calm and well controlled, nothing too out of place but clearly concentrated and intense with density. Focussed with drive and persistence, mouthwatering strawberry and cherry, with really chalky, crushed stone edges putting you on limestone in St-Emilion. The place speaks in the wine and it has good depth and drive. On the slightly more high toned, muscular, overt edge, needs to soften slightly, but this has detail and precision and exceptional juiciness which is so appealing. Punchy, forward, intense - a gorgeous wine in the making. 3.4pH. 3.55g/l total acidity. HVE3 certified. A yield of 40hl/ha. Ageing 13-15 months, 60% in new barrels. Harvest 7 September - 26 September." - Georgina Hindle, Decanter, (05/25/2023), Ratings: 96

"The 2022 La Gaffelière continues this Saint-Émilion's strong run of form in recent years. The nose is extremely pure and shimmers with nascent excitement, beautifully defined with blackberry, raspberry and touches of cassis. If aromatics could "glide" then this would be a prime example. The palate is exquisite in terms of balance, just a little granular in texture. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated. There are hints of bay and tea leaf toward the silky-smooth finish, completing a potentially marvelous wine." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (05/17/2023), Ratings: 95-97