La Gaffelière has been one of St-Émilion's undisputed renaissance stars over the past decade, racking up more and more impressive numbers with each passing vintage. As Wine Advocate's William Kelley notes in his review of the double 98-point 2020 grand vin, "this estate, in many respects Saint-Émilion's sleeping giant, is awakening." Indeed, the past several vintages have seen the estate assert its place as one of the smartest collectible buys in Bordeaux, Right or Left Bank. Few wines garner such massive accolades while remaining so fairly priced.
Any modern vintage of La Gaffeliere represents a sterling addition to any cellar, but a vertical collection is a truly a Bordeaux lover's must-have, and today we have exactly that. Six stunning vintages of this Right Bank dynamo, including the near-perfect, 99-point 2018 and 2022, the latter of which was dubbed by Jeb Dunnuck "the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted and will most likely warrant a perfect rating in a decade." Of course savvy collectors won't skip the incredible bargain that is the 2017, a "truly impressive" hidden gems that's "one of the real highlights" of the vintage. You can't go wrong with any of these masterfully crafted clarets, and with razor-sharp pricing across the board, it's easy to stock up big.
The 2018 La Gaffelière is hands down one of the wines of the vintage. Towering in its stature and vertical lift, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and leather all run through this deep, wonderfully pliant Saint-Émilion. The 2018 is rich, deep and beautifully resonant, with tremendous depth and tons of stature that builds, all framed by beams of supporting minerality that confer vibrancy. La Gaffelière is distinctive, alluring and arresting right out of the gate. It is another magnificent showing from this reborn estate. The blend is 63% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Franc. Magnifique!
99 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Mar 2021)
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 La Gaffeliere is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to offer peeks at notions of stewed red and black plums, mulberries and Morello cherries, plus hints of damp earth, tar and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound, delivering crunchy red and black fruits with an approachable texture of fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long with a lifted perfume. This is a refreshing, beautifully perfumed and skillfully crafted expression of the vintage. Give it 4-5 years in bottle and then enjoy it over the next 20 years+.
97 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Mar 2021)
This estate is on a roll. Replete with powerful tannins and dense black fruits, this latest release continues the succession of fine vintages. Perfumed, ripe with berry flavors and, more importantly, with rich tannins, the wine will age impressively. Drink from 2027.
97 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (May 2021)
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