This morning sees the release of one of the stand-out wines from the 2022 vintage to my mind, namely Château La Gaffelière offered here at £342 per 6 bottle case in bond.
As William Kelley notes below, this Château is very well situated on the limestone/clay soils of the hillside below Château Ausone – and historically, it was incredibly well-regarded. Since 2015/2016 it has been on an upward trajectory and recent vintages have been nothing short of outstanding, the 2022 is potentially the finest yet.
Please see below for my note as well as those from Neal Martin, William Kelley and Jane Anson.
2022 Château La Gaffelière, Saint-Emilion,
Premier Grand Cru Classé (B)
£342 per 6 bottle case in bond
My note:
With scented, juicy, ripe, red berry and blackcurrant on the nose, the 2022 La Gaffelière exudes finesse. The palate follows suit; so well defined and beautifully balanced. Nothing is forced here, with a sense of flowing, vibrant fruit. That lifted floral accent lends intrigue, as do gentle touches of blackcurrant leaf and spice. There is an expansive, layered nature to the fruit that easily veils the fine-grained, precise, mineral tannins that underscore it. This has great potential and, after such a successful run of vintages, is surely a smart money buy, as currently quality exceeds price-point in my view. (SL). Drink 2028-2058.
95-97 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
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. Drink 2030-2065
95-96 points, William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
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.
96 points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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.
Please let us know of your interest.
All the best,
Simon