critic reviews
Deep ruby colour, mulberry flavours and aromatics, upfront damson and black cherry fruit on the attack, this is full of power and flavour, sappy with a punch of spice, and chalky tannins that hold everything in place. Great stuff. 50% new oak for ageing, Stéphane Derenoncourt consultant, Alexandre de Malet-Roquefort owner. Bottled in June 2025.
The 2023 La Gaffelière was deeply impressive out of barrel. Now in bottle, it has a sublime bouquet with precise and focused brambly red fruit, undergirded by fine mineralité and tension. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth. Perfectly pitched acidity, this has a surfeit of nascent energy and a brightness on the finish that sets it apart from many. Gifted.
The 2023 La Gaffeliere is deep garnet-purple in color. It slowly emerges from the glass with fragrant scents of boysenberries, fresh juicy plums, and black raspberries opening out to hints of lilacs, Sichuan pepper, fragrant soil, and cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate is exquisitely knit with filigree layers of black and red berries and floral accents, supported by plush tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long and perfumed. Wow! The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, with pH 3.50.