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%.