Tasting Notes
Vinous 96
The 2020 La Gaffeliere was a knockout out of barrel and so expectations were high broaching the wine in bottle. It delivers a sumptuous yet beautifully-defined bouquet with pure black cherry and red plum aromas, an underlying mineralite that keeps it on its toes. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite saline, perhaps still a little closed post-bottling but with plenty of tension running from start to finish. It’s a Saint-Emilion that says bugger off and come back (a lot) later.
Anticipated maturity: 2028-2060
Wine Advocate 95
A worthy follow up to the excellent 2019, the 2020 La Gaffeliere bursts with aromas of plums, sweet berries, licorice, mint and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and concentrated, with lively acids and vibrant fruit flavors, it’s built around powdery, fine-grained tannins. Cabernet Franc represents fully 40% of the blend. As I wrote last year, this estate, in many respects Saint-Emilion’s sleeping giant, is awakening.
Anticipated maturity: 2026-2050