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 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.
99 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Feb 2025)
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.
99 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2025)
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.
97 points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate (Mar 2025)
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 (Jan 2025)
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.
97 points, Georgina Hindle, Decanter (Jan 2025)
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