2021 Gaffelière

The 2021 La Gaffelière was picked September 22 to October 15, and matured in 60% French new oak. There is a healthy 42% Cabernet Franc here. The nose is quite open with black cherry, blueberry and touches of violet and peony; the oak is nicely integrated. In the mouth, this is medium-bodied with fine delineation, good focus and real midpalate weight. Conveying good intensity and vibrancy, this continues a strong run for this Saint-Émilion estate. NM Vinous 95 Points

Château La Gaffelière, a gem of Saint-Emilion This property is located almost inside the village, in the southern area facing Ausone. With 300 years of history at the head of the estate, the Malet de Roquefort family knows this magnificent terroir by heart and knows how to reveal the very essence of it. The vineyard covers 38 hectares, including 22 hectares of 1er Grand Cru Classé. The vines are planted on different soils: limestone plateau, clay-limestone slopes, and more siliceous at the foot of the slopes. During the past decade, the vineyard has been restructured and a new winery has been built, allowing a vinification process 100% based on gravity that preserves the purity of the fruit and its fresh and precise aromas. The Malet de Roquefort family hired Stéphane Derenoncourt as a consultant to help them to achieve their quest of a pure and elegant wine. We have seen the superb results over the past few years and we are convinced that La Gaffelière is more than ever a must-have in your cellar. http://gaffeliere.com/en/video-the-soul-of-chateau-la-gaffeliere/ The anecdote: The 3 fermaux of the family de Malet Roquefort coat represent a father and his two sons made knights after the battle of Hastings in 1066 by William the Conqueror The story of 2021 vintage The vines were subject to major stress throughout 2021, due to quite low temperatures and sometimes frost, a chaotic summer, and severe pressure from disease (downy mildew). While September was quite cool with sunny periods, and the health of the vines was finally rather good, early October saw ideal weather conditions for optimum ripening, especially for the Cabernet Franc. Depending on the terroirs, this allowed us to delay and optimize picking for the best plots and to harvest healthy grapes at perfect ripeness. To be noted, La Gaffelière is among Antonio Galloni's favorite wines in this vintage: "everything about the 2021 speaks to elegance".