La Gaffeliere 2022 (750ML)

99 VM / 96-98+ WI / 96-97 JS / 96 WS / 96 JA / 96 DE / 94-96+ JD

The 2022 La Gaelière 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 oral 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 Media

The 2022 La Gaffeliere is composed of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous notions of juicy blackberries, redcurrant jelly, and wild blueberries, followed by suggestions of rose oil, cardamom, and fragrant soil. The medium to full-bodied palate has bags of energetic black and red berry layers, supported by beautifully plush tannins and great tension, finishing long and perfumed. What a beauty! - Lisa perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

This is serious. Bold and structured with beautiful fruit, which is crunchy and vibrant. Full body. Lots of complexity and depth with a wide and velvety tannin structure. Excellent length. Lots of blue fruits. Touch of whole cluster. - James Suckling

This offers a pretty captivating display of boysenberry and blackberry puree flavors liberally infused with violet, iris and ink details, while a racy graphite spine provides remarkable length through the well-cut finish. There's some high gloss toast, but the fruit is in clear command. A real head-turner. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2042. 8,000 cases made, 300 cases imported.--James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Such a delicious wine in 2022, with mouthwateringly sappy tannins, juicy and approachable while being muscular and stacked, and here the concentrated blackcurrant and loganberry fruit is studded through with oyster shell salinity. La Gaffelière is not the most high profile of the estates to have resigned from the St Emilion classification, but it's a real loss, because it is finding these type of wines that makes the ranking so worthwhile. Look out also for a 100% Cabernet Franc cuvee (not tasted, so I'll be looking out too) from this vintage to be released in a few years. Stéphane Derenoncourt consultant. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

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. Derenoncourt consultants. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2022 Château La Gaffelière showed beautifully, with a medium to full-bodied, forward, sexy style carrying ample ripe black cherries, spring flowers, camphor, and graphite aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with nicely integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish. This is clearly a gorgeous Saint-Emilion in the making and is well worth seeking out. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, and this is certainly in the same ballpark, if not better than, the 2018, 2019, and 2020. - Jeb Dunnuck