“In a word: superb!” – Vinous

You know why? With neighbors like Pavie and Ausone, how can it be anything but?!

Except Pavie’s 2014 is trending in the $250-400 range. And Ausone? Don’t even ask! But if you must, it’s double that, for ANY you can lay your hands on. So this, rated similarly high, is a very strong contender for the Right Bank of the vintage. Some further digging reveals why it’s such a screaming value…

At the foot of Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau lies Château La Gaffelière, one of Bordeaux’s oldest and most consistent Grand Cru Classé B estates, owned by the Malet-Roquefort family for nearly 400 years. Their vineyards sit in the ‘golden triangle,’ between Châteaux Ausone and Pavie, on the same mosaic of clay and limestone that gives St.-Émilion its voice.

The 2014 vintage captures that voice in perfect tone - classic, pure, and effortlessly elegant. A signature blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, vinified with precision, aged in the finest new oak barrels, the wine marries freshness with noble structure. With the quiet strength of St.-Émilion‘s precious limestone in the forefront, 2014 is the kind of vintage that reminds us of why St.-Émilion became legendary in the first place. The elegance of over 3 centuries in a glass!

And Wine Spectator fast forwards to this decade for the latest, “It’s taken time, investment, and patience to reorient La Gaffelière. But it’s clear it has been worthwhile, and it is now ready to enjoy a return to its rightful place among the appellation’s elite… Ideally situated on terraced hillside just below châteaus Ausone and Bélair-Monange, Château La Gaffelière has a long history. Family-owned for 300 years and the historic hospital for the town of St.-Émilion, its imposing château façade sits prominently on the road up to town. Its wines from the 1950s and 1960s are prime examples of great Bordeaux.”

The truth is that it’s highly limited - with unlimited pleasure hiding inside each bottle.

96 Points – Vinous “A wine of total finesse, the 2014 La Gaffelière is gorgeous. Dark and pliant on the palate, with striking nuance, it presents a striking interplay of juicy Merlot fruit and lifted, Cabernet Franc-inflected aromatics. Silky tannins add to the wine’s exceptional feel and precision. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The 2014 spent 25-30 days on the skins, while malolactic fermentation took place partly in tank and partly in barrique. Consulting oenologists Stéphane Derenoncourt and Simon Blanchard did a fabulous job with the 2014. In a word: superb! Drink 2022-2044.”