96 points, Vinous
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96 points, The Wine Cellar Insider
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95-97 points, Wine Advocate
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95 points, Wine Advocate
|
94-96 points, Vinous
|
94 points, Wine Spectator
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94 points, Wine Enthusiast
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94 points, Vinous
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About the Wine
Critic Reviews
96 points, The Wine Cellar Insider
96 points, Vinous
95 points, Wine Advocate
95-97 points, Wine Advocate
94-96 points, Vinous
94 points, Vinous
94 points, Wine Enthusiast
94 points, Wine Spectator
“Showing better in the bottle than it did in the barrel, and it was already quite good in barrel, the wine pops with tobacco leaf, flowers, ripe red fruits, espresso, and thyme in the nose. Rich, fresh, vibrant, and with ample flesh and sweetness, the wine finishes with loads of sweet, ripe, dark red and black fruits. Give it a few years in the bottle, and it will really be rocking’! La Gaffeliere has really been on quite a roll since the 2015 vintage. Since 2015, each vintage seems to have gotten just a bit better, and 2019 clearly continues that trend. Drink from 2026-2050.”
96 points, Vinous
“The 2019 La Gaffeli re is just as impressive as it was en primeur. Bright and tightly wound, La Gaffeli re sizzles with energy. Dark red fruit, mocha, blood orange, mint and dried flowers lend striking aromatic presence. There is some youthful austerity here, but nothing time in bottle won’t take care of. The 2019 doesn’t quite match the stratospheric grandeur of the magical 2018, but it comes close. -- Antonio Galloni.”
95 points, Wine Advocate
“The 2019 La Gaffelière wafts from the glass with a rich bouquet of blackberries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of burning embers and loamy soil that’s framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep, and seamless, it’s a concentrated, vibrant wine built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. Its vivid fruit tones and classical balance make this Cabernet Franc-rich blend a promising candidate for sustained bottle age. Anyone who has tasted the great wines this estate produced in the 1950s and 1960s knows how great this site can be; and with stricter selection as well as the elimination of fruit from vines growing on the plain from the blend, that potential appears to be being unleashed at last.”
95-97 points, Wine Advocate
“Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 La Gaffeliere reveals a tantalizingly bright, fresh nose of ripe black plums, crushed blackberries and warm black cherries with touches of lavender, star anise, Sichuan pepper and fragrant earth. The vibrant black fruits completely fill the medium to full-bodied palate with loads of crunchy, energetic flavors, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively line of freshness, finishing with a mineral twist. Irresistibly scrumptious!”
94-96 points, Vinous
“The 2019 La Gaffelière is deep, vivid and beautifully layered in the glass. Dark fruit, espresso, mint, lavender and mocha build as the 2019 opens up in the glass. Deep and fleshy, yet also light on its feet, it has a sense of translucence that carries through all the way to the finish. This is a stunning, riveting wine in every way. The Grand Vin is sourced from the core holdings comprised of about eleven hectares of vineyard. Tasted two times.”
94 points, Vinous
“The 2019 La Gaffeli re has a wonderful bouquet of mineral-rich black and red fruit and sous-bois, a little tobacco and pencil box emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe. Perfectly balanced, leading to an almost Left Bank, graphite-tinged finish courtesy of the 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 continues the purple patch of this Saint- milion stalwart. No doubt a wine that will give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure.”
94 points, Wine Enthusiast
“The wine has a dense structure alongside ripe black fruits and generous tannins. Its density brings out the fresh lift of the vintage, giving a wine that has weight and also succulence. Drink from 2026. Roger Voss”
94 points, Wine Spectator
“This rolls out dense fig, boysenberry, and red currant paste flavors laced with pronounced chalky minerality and notes of tobacco, dried anise, and juniper. The serious tannic drive on the finish puts this in the ‘classically austere’ camp. Worth cellaring for sure, but patience is required. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2040. —J.M.”
About The Winery
Having settled in Saint-Émilion in 1705, the Malet Roquefort family of Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort has a history in Bordeaux spanning more than three centuries. A record of vines being planted on this land in Gallo-Roman times shows an even longer history of viticulture, and was confirmed in 1969 by Comte Léo de Malet Roquefort who discovered ruins of the Gallo-Roman Villa du Palat with mosaics depicting vines plantings. Château La Gaffelière, which gained status in 1954 as a Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, is the original estate of the Malet Roquefort family. In 2001, the family united three estates, Château La Gaffelière, Château Chapelle d'Aliénor, and Château Armens, under a single brand: Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort. Later, in 2008 Château La Connivence also joined the Domaines. Today, the Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort estates include: Château La Gaffelière, Château Chapelle d'Aliénor, Château Armens, and Château La Connivence. Founded on the four guiding principles of excellence, elegance, authenticity, and independence, the Malet Roqueforts have passed on their traditions, generation after generation, and today Alexandre de Malet Roquefort is at the helm of Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort. Like his ancestors, he shares a passion for wine and for the Saint-Émilion terroir which they call home.
