Clos La Gaffelière 2025

Clos La Gaffelière is the second label of Château La Gaffelière, a long-established estate in the north of Saint-Émilion with 38 hectares of vineyards planted predominantly to Merlot alongside Cabernet Franc. The estate sits at the foot of the limestone plateau, where clay-limestone and cooler soils suit early-ripening Merlot, giving rounded, plummy fruit, while the Cabernet Franc adds structure, fresh acidity and a savoury, leafy edge. The 2025 is farmed under respectful, sustainable agriculture. Vinification follows the classic Bordeaux pattern: fermentation on the skins extracts colour and tannin, malolactic conversion softens the wine's acidity into a suppler texture, and twelve months in barrel lend slow oxygenation that rounds the tannins and contributes vanilla, cedar and a light cocoa note. The colour is deep ruby. The nose is intense, with blackberry and ripe plum joined by tobacco, cocoa and subtle oak spice; the palate is medium to full bodied, with fine-grained tannins and a fresh, earthy finish typical of the appellation. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead for a young vintage. It is at home with roast beef, lamb and game.