Winemaker Notes
The blend of wines from the slope and the foot of the hillside produces a nectar, which is powerful, racy and silky. This harmony is found in each vintage of their estate.
Blend: 58% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From one of the finest estates in Saint-Emilion, the 2023 Château La Gaffelière checks in as 58% Merlot and 42% Cabernet Franc from clay-limestone soils that spent 21 months in 50% new French oak (including 12% 500-liter barrels) with 2% in amphora. Ripe red and black fruits, leafy, smoky tobacco, graphite, crushed stone, and hints of chocolate all emerge from this brilliant 2023, and it's concentrated and medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, focused, layered mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish.
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Vinous
The 2023 La Gaffelière is very pure and floral on the nose, with black cherries intermingling with violet and iris flower scents. The new oak is neatly integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and layers of lightly spiced black fruit. Cedar and graphite furnish the poised but persistent finish. This is another in a succession of impressive wines from this estate that just oozes sensuality. Superb. –Neal Martin
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
Decanter
A deep nose, floral, so perfumed, lots of ripe black bramble fruit. Concentrated and so full, there’s density on the palate, there’s so much ripe red fruit that fills the mouth with a soft grip to the tannins that support the fruit but doesn't overwhelm. This feels instantly classy, layered and complex with a gentle confidence. It’s round and slightly fleshy, although feels sculpted and muscular with volume, a lovely juiciness and a touch of dark chocolate, cedar and liquorice on the finish. Sophisticated.
Barrel Sample: 95 -
James Suckling
Aromas of ripe black cherries, mulberries and touches of iodine and violet extract. Full-bodied, flavorful and structured but finely etched, with fine tannins, good acidity and a long, Fine finish. 58% merlot and 42% cabernet franc.
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Wine Spectator
A silky, refined, understated beauty, offering a core of black tea–steeped cherry and boysenberry notes, while subtle details of wood spice, dried anise and violet fill in through the steady-flowing finish. Offers a late whiff of chalky minerality. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.