2025 La Gaffeliere (St-Emilion)

65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc
Nestled into what Sales Director Thomas Soubes calls a ‘golden triangle’ of vines between the hills topped by Ausone and Pavie, historical estate La Gaffelière occupies some high-grade St-Emilion terroir. The vines span three sections: the limestone plateau next to Ausone, over the cusp of the slope on limestone-embedded clay, and at the bottom of the slope where the black sandy soils need careful management, but also bring very fine aromatics. You can in any case barely see the vines for the profusion of flowers and grasses between the rows. Cover crops help prevent soil erosion, and bring biodiversity to the vineyard. A long-term programme of vineyard replanting has seen the percentage of Cabernet Franc return to where it was in the first half of the 20th century, and it brings an extra dimension of freshness to the wine. The 2025 here is aromatically gorgeous, dense and compact, but also lifted and driven. It is an elegant and high-wire achievement. (NT 14/05/26)