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Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé B
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A very fine wine that reflects the very best produced on Rive droite de Bordeaux, here's Château La Gaffelière. Nestled between the Pavie and Ausone hills south of the village of Saint-Emilion, the first traces of this Domaine vineyard date back to Roman antiquity, as evidenced by remains discovered in 1969.
It takes its name from "Gaffets", a term used to describe lepers in the Middle Ages, when Saint-Emilion was home to a leper colony. At that time, most of them carried a stick, the "gaffe", which they used to beg and move around.
For over three centuries now, the estate has been governed by the de Malet-Roquefort family, who continue to develop the terroir with passion and energy, vintage after vintage.
The Château La Gaffelière was named Premier Grand Cru Classé as soon as the Saint-Emilion classification was created in 1955. Thanks to the high reputation of its wines, it will retain this distinction up to and including the 2021 vintage. At the beginning of 2022, Domaine will opt to withdraw from the classification, the next edition of which was due to be made official in September of the same year. Thus, from the 2022 vintage, the label of Château La Gaffelière will mention only the Saint-Emilion appellation Grand Cru.
The Château La Gaffelière has a 22-hectare vineyard with full southern exposure, spread over the three specific terroirs of... See more ...
The 2016 vintage is one of those blessed wine years for the Bordeaux vineyard. The guiding line of the vintage was a hot summer marked by drought, particularly beneficial to the vine cycle. A few rains in September allowed to restart the ripening process of the berries, slowed down because of the heat. Finally, the beautiful late season that lasted until October offered a harvest of excellent oenological quality.
Blend of the 2016 vintage: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet franc.
The robe is a deep purple color with ruby highlights.
The nose is fine and very expressive, offering sumptuous notes of red fruits, blackcurrant and violet, supported by roasted cocoa.
Very supple on the attack, the wine shows a remarkable precision, offering smoothness and greediness of the fruit. The structured and delicate tannins give it freshness, and raise it crescendo in power and relief to a long and serene finish.
Food and wine pairing:
Château La Gaffelière 2016 will be adequately appreciated with herb-crusted roast beef, duck breast with porcini mushroom sauce, hare fillet, pan-roasted squab or pheasant supreme.
For a pairing with cheese, choose uncooked pressed cheeses: Edam, Gouda, Saint-nectaire, morbier, Tomme de Savoie or Salers.
For dessert, the pairing will be sublime with a black forest, a café du Salvador or a Paris-Brest style layer cake.
Ageing potential and tasting:
Château La Gaffelière 2016 is a nectar with great ageing potential, which will reach its peak between 2028 and 2030, or even beyond.
However, it is ready to be properly enjoyed today. To do so, take care to place the bottle the night before in the serving room at room temperature. Open and decant ideally 5 to 6 hours before tasting.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar, protected from light, lying down, with an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
The opulence of the duck breast, perfectly roasted and adorned with porcini mushrooms, finds an ideal partner in a robust red wine such as Pomerol or Saint-Émilion. The rich aromas of red and black fruits in this wine harmonize seamlessly with the umami depth of the porcini, while the well-structured tannins elegantly complement the juicy texture of the duck. The velvety sweet potato mash adds a sweet and creamy note that blends deliciously with the complexity of the wine, creating a taste experience where each bite reveals a balanced symphony of flavors and textures.
