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La Gaffelière 2017

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot

Château La Gaffeliere has been owned by the same family since 1705, with vineyards located close to Ausone and Pavie. Half of the vineyard has been replanted since 2001, with the aim to improve quality and address the balance of varieties in the vineyard. Cabernet Franc has been planted on the hillsides, increasing the percentage available for the first wine. Experiments with whole bunch fermentation have proved succesful, and there is now 10% included since 2015, all from Cabernet Franc plots.

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Label

Tasting Notes

La Gaffeliere 2017 is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a bit of coaxing to reveal vibrant notes of crushed red and black plums, boysenberries, and blackberry pie, plus suggestions of spice box, cast-iron pan, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers muscular black fruit with ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced.

97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

There are some sappy and leafy elements to the nose with a thread of red berries and fresh blueberries. The palate has plush, lithe and juicy appeal with smoothly rendered tannins and juicy, crunchy acidity. Drink or hold.

93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2020

Red fruits some black fruits the nose has a fragrant charm the start of the palate light but there is underlying richness mid depth the sweet fruit gives depth richness on the finish. 2025-35

89/91
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2018
Read more tasting notes...

The 2017 La Gaffeliere is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant scents of kirsch, black raspberries and warm plums plus suggestions of unsmoked cigars, rosehip tea and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic elegance and sophistication, with tons of bright, perfumed fruit and exquisitely ripe tannins, finishing with bags of freshness and energy. Since the lower-lying sections of La Gaffeliere were affected by frost this year, this wine mainly comes from the section up on the Saint-Émilion plateau, near Ausone. Truly impressive! Drink 2024-2054.

97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

This very long and powerful yet all in balance and harmony. Full body and layered and chewy tannins. Softness and depth. Excellence for the vintage.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2018

Composed of 40% Cabernet Franc and 60% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Gaffeliere has pronounced cassis, baked plums and blackberry pie notes with suggestions of lavender, baking spices and rose hip tea. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a firm frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins, an electric intensity of bright black and blue fruits and wonderful freshness, finishing long and minerally.

La Gaffelière was significantly affected by frost, but a good portion of the vineyard is up on the hill by Château Ausone, and it is this unaffected section that was largely used to make the grand vin this year. I have to say; this superlative section has produced one of the very finest La Gaffelière’s I have tasted. Consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt confirmed that no second-generation fruit from the lower lying, frost affected plots was used for this wine.

95/97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (236), April 2018
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.