2022 Chateau La Gaffeliere

Rich yet supremely refined in it’s feel with wonderful underlying freshness and superb length.

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Dense pitch black heart with a deep dark red hue. Soaring out of the glass are powerful aromatics of red to black currant, liquorice and violets which intermesh with spicy vanillin cedar, earthy tobacco, dried herb and subtle graphite like notes. Opulent and layered yet supremely refined in it’s feel, rich red to black currant and liquorice fruits engulf the palate. Vanillin cedar, earth, subtle tobacco, spiced dried herbs and a crushed rock like character form the undercard. Showing wonderful underlying freshness and superb length, it has a seamlessly integrated, fine grained tannins that provide a solid structure. Already approachable and highly expressive it possesses great finesse and concludes exceptionally long.
Drink over the next 10-15 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews....
The 2022 La Gaffelière, one of the finest wines I’ve encountered at this address, is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Crafted primarily from the prime hillside vineyards beneath Ausone, this wine exudes violet, dark berries, licorice, cherries and smoke, with subtly integrated oak influences. It's medium to full-bodied, deep and powerful, with a multidimensional, fleshy core of fruit and youthful yet powdery tannins framed by a tense, energetic mid-palate, typical of the limestone soils. Concluding with a long, saline and complex finish that marries tension and charming to pleasing effect, it was matured for 19 months in 50% new barrels. Drink 2030-2042.
97 points
Yohan Castaing - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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. Drink 2032-2052.
99 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous

This shows crushed stones, chalk, salt and blueberries. Violets. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s firm and crunchy with lovely and precise tannins that are long and focused. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. 10% whole-bunch fermentation. Drink after 2027 and beyond.
97 points
James Suckling

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. Drink 2030-2060.
99 points
Jeb Dunnuck

A deep, seductive nose - coffee, chocolate, mocha, tobacco, and spiced sun-kissed fruit. Intense but impactful aromatics - signature perfume of Gaffelière. Bright and bold, with juicy fruit and crushed velvet tannins. Clean, crisp and so moreish with a salty tang, strawberry juiciness, and tons of freshness. Harmonised and balanced, with long, layered complexity. Clear structure and power here. Gorgeous. Drink 2029-2045.
97 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter