Gaffelière - Saint-Emilion 2022

Alexandre Ma

97

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

The violet aroma emanating from Château La Gaffelière 2022 is stunning. The juicy red dates, longan, and red plums are further refined by the herbal notes of fennel and rosemary, as though they are locked in an idyllic embrace. The inherent elegance of the limestone-clay slope is elevated by the high proportion of Cabernet Franc, elevating the wine to new heights of natural beauty. Drinking this wine is like being transported into a painting of “Picking chrysanthemums in the southeast, leisurely gazing upon the southern mountain…”, a distinct charm that captures the essence of this exceptional vintage.

Wine Advocate

97

byYohan Castaingthe3/6/2025

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.

Jeb DUNNUCK

99

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

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.

Yvesbeck.wine

98

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc Beaucoup d'énergie dans ce vin encore marqué par son élevage. Il a besoin d'air pour finalement révéler sa fraîcheur avec des nuances de garrigues, de cassis et de framboises complétées par une touche de réglisse et de menthe poivrée. Dense et friand en attaque, le vin se distingue par son caractère soyeux et par la sérénité de sa puissance. Il doit cette dernière à d'exceptionnels tannins qui ont pour seule ambition de conférer de la vigueur tout en caressant les papilles, avec néanmoins la structure acide comme acolyte, question d'amener un peu de peps dans ce contexte charmant. 2027-2052 98/100

Jamessuckling.com

97

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

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.

Vinous

99

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

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.

Wine Spectator

96

byJames Molesworththe12/9/2024

Wine Maniacs

93-94

byLin Liuthe5/30/2023

Decanter.com

96

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

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.

Alexandre Ma

96-98

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

The violet aroma emanating from Château La Gaffelière 2022 is stunning. The juicy red dates, longan, and red plums are further refined by the herbal notes of fennel and rosemary, as though they are locked in an idyllic embrace. The inherent elegance of the limestone-clay slope is elevated by the high proportion of Cabernet Franc, elevating the wine to new heights of natural beauty. Drinking this wine is like being transported into a painting of "Picking chrysanthemums in the southeast, leisurely gazing upon the southern mountain...", a distinct charm that captures the essence of this exceptional vintage.

Vinous

95-97

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 La Gaffelière continues this Saint-Émilion's strong run of form in recent years. The nose is extremely pure and shimmers with nascent excitement, beautifully defined with blackberry, raspberry and touches of cassis. If aromatics could "glide" then this would be a prime example. The palate is exquisite in terms of balance, just a little granular in texture. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated. There are hints of bay and tea leaf toward the silky-smooth finish, completing a potentially marvelous wine.

The Vintage Journal

92-93

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Deep crimson. Expressive dark cherry, dark plum, mulberry aromas with liquorice notes. Dense dark cherry, dark plum fruits, fine chocolaty tannins and some cedar/ hint vanilla notes. Finshes soupy and long. (Merlot, Cabrnet Franc, Around 50% new oak)

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

96

byJane Ansonthe5/16/2023

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.

matthewjukes.com

18

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

96-98

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

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!

Yvesbeck.wine

97-98

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Que de profondeur et de pluralité dans le bouquet de Gaffelière 2022 ! Il affiche de nombreuses facettes tant sur le plan épicé que fruité ou minéral. Les nuances crayeuses des sols calcaires sont bien relayées tout comme de subtiles notes de baies rouges. L'attaque annonce un vin frais, juteux et subtil. Il est doté de tannins puissants, élégants, serrés qui offrent une assise précieuse tout en créant une très belle symbiose avec la structure acide. Gaffelière pose les jalons d'une manière exceptionnelle. Sa puissance, sa linéarité, sa précision et son niveau global ne font que souligner l'exceptionnelle aptitude de cette propriété à afficher son rang parmi l'élite de Saint-Emilion. Une grande réussite !

Bettane & Desseauve

98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Grain de tannin brillantissime du toucher à la fin de bouche, ensemble complexe, dense, racé et élancé. Certainement le plus grand gaffelière du XXIe siècle. Remarquablement construit et séducteur, c’est une référence pour 2022 dont il restitue l’effet millésime et le terroir.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94-96

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

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. 94-96+

Vinous

98-100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 La Gaffelière is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Refined, sculpted and wonderfully precise, La Gaffelière simply has it all. Hints of lavender, mint, blood orange, spice and black cherry fruit all race across the glass. Clean mineral notes and fine tannins support the finish. The delineation here is simply breathtaking. La Gaffelière is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Élevage is expected to be 19 months in 50% new oak and 50% neutral barrels. The 2022 is another exceptional wine from the Malet Roquefort family. Drinking window : 2032-2062

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Rich, lush, deep and concentrated, the wine is fresh rich and vibrant with layers of sweet, ripe, vibrant, plums, cherries, flowers and crushed stones from start to finish. Drink from 2023-2050.

Wine Advocate

95-96

byWilliam Kelleythe5/2/2023

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Gaffelière derives exclusively from the prime hillside vineyards below Ausone that made this estate so compelling in the early and mid-twentieth century, and the 2022 is the finest wine produced at this address in many a year, surpassing the 2019 and 2020 in quality. Wafting from the glass with incipiently complex aromas of wild berries, violets, lilac, licorice, vine smoke and raw cocoa, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with a deep, multidimensional and beautifully vibrant core of fruit and polished tannins, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

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.