Clos La Gaffelière Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2019 - Bordeaux, France

94/100 James Suckling
93/100 Le Figaro Vin
93/100 Falstaff
92/100 Robert Parker
91/100 Bettane & Desseauve
91/100 Vinous
93/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2018 vintage)
90/100 CellarTracker (2018 vintage)
16/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2018 vintage)

James Suckling "A medium-bodied red offering lovely deep fruit with notes of nuts, damp earth, mushroom and chocolate. It is full-bodied with juicy fruit at the end. A nice depth."

Le Figaro Vin "Bright on the nose, with pure and sparkling fruit, with notes of raspberry, blackcurrant raspberry leaf and blackcurrant leaf. Divine on the palate , the wine has a silky texture, which persists even after being swallowed. Great drinkability!"

Falstaff "Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, violet reflections, delicate brightening at the edges. Red cherries, some licorice, mineral touch, inviting bouquet. Juicy, rounded, and approachable, fresh cherry fruit, fine tannins, pleasant acidic structure, delicate nougat in the aftertaste, lemony touch, a versatile companion to food."

Robert Parker "Clos La Gaffeliere 2019 has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It reveals a singular character, with notes of redcurrant jelly, raspberry tart, Black Forest cake and undergrowth with scents of bouquet garni and crushed black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate offers an abundance of juicy red and black fruits with lovely herbaceous notes and an approachable texture of round tannins finishing with an alluring freshness."

Bettane & Desseauve "Ideally located on the coast which extends Ausone and leads to Belair-Monange, La Gaffelière has experienced a gentle revolution over the last decade: half of the 22 hectares have been established, under the leadership of Alexandre Malet- Roquefort (whose family has been in Saint-Émilion since the 15th century), better positioning of the grape varieties. We tear up the Merlots and replant Cabernet Franc which passes from the sands to the hillside. Its percentage increases and reaches up to 40% of the final assembly. The result proves convincing with more complex, floral wines, respecting the fruit and freshness."

Vinous "Clos La Gaffelière 2019 displays a well-defined nose with scents of blackberry, raspberry and cedar, as well as touches of undergrowth that appear over time. The taste is fresh, vibrant and quite saline on the palate, with a finely proportioned finish. It's excellent value for money."

James Suckling "This is a very solid red with plum, wet-earth and tobacco character. Medium to full body and firm, lightly chewy tannins. Savory finish." (2018 vintage)

Decanter "Full of rich red fruits, this is long, sweet and powerfully silky. It's an excellent second wine which now includes some Premier Grand Cru Classé B vines, as they have tightened selection for the grand vin. One to enjoy." (2018 vintage)

Vinum Wine Magazine "Fruity, full-bodied, well-structured; excellently made." (2018 vintage)

Hachette wine guide "This cru, which takes its name from a hospital in medieval times, is located at the outpost of the southern entrance to Saint-Émilion, between the hill of Ausone and that of Pavia. Here, we do not count in years, but in centuries: we found the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa which would have belonged to the poet Ausone. The Malet Roquefort family (Count Léo de Malet Roquefort today) has been established there since the 17th century. On a clay-limestone vineyard of 22 ha in one piece, planted with Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc, a 1er grand cru classified is born, produced since 2013 in completely renovated technical buildings."

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14%

La Revue du Vin de France / Guide to the Best Wines of France "Alongside 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 hillsides to the south of the village), Alexandre de Malet, now in charge, has invested heavily in the technical overhaul of the vat. After investments in plantations since 2000 and a renewal of cultivation equipment, the production tools of Gaffelière are now at the elite level of the premier grands crusclassés. Ultimately the great wine will come from 80% of the hillside vines (under Belair), leaving the second wine, Clos La Gaffelière, from the lower hillside. The Malet Roquefort family has just bought Château Puy-Blanquet, 20 hectares (including 19 in production) in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, on a clay-limestone ridge dominating the Dordogne, which it had ceded in the 1960s to the Jacquet family for inheritance reasons. Defending a classic but expressive style, without excess, built on the finesse of the second part of the palate, this first with an exceptional topographical location continues to surprise, especially as it charges prices that are still understandable. We are here at the heart of what is most sensual and unique in Saint-Émilion!"

Owned by Malet-Roquefort, Château La Gaffelière is a family estate which boasts a typically French winegrowers' signature, between tradition and modernity. This respect for the terroir is linked to the origins of the Malet-Roquefort family, which the Count & Alexandre de Malet-Roquefort carefully transcribe at Château La Gaffelière . In this 38 ha vineyard with a unique location leaning against the southern slope of Saint-Emilion, the combination of hillside and foothill wines produces a nectar that is powerful, distinguished and silky. This harmony is found in all the vintages of Château La Gaffelière

Saint-Émilion is a renowned wine-producing region located in the Bordeaux area of France. It's famous for its high-quality red wines, particularly those made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes. The Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation (AOC) is a classification within Saint-Émilion that designates wines of exceptional quality and vineyards that adhere to specific regulations.

A Bordeaux Blend is any combination of those grape varieties typically used to make the red wines of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon is widely accepted as a compulsory component of any Bordeaux Blend along with Merlot. In fact, the majority of Bordeaux Blend wines are often made exclusively from a blend of these two varieties. The remaining components are Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.