Château La Gaffelière 1999

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château La Gaffelière 1999

Tasting

Colour
The wine displays a deep purple hue, reflecting impressive concentration.

Nose
The bouquet opens with intense notes of blackcurrant and jammy black fruit, harmoniously framed by well-integrated oak. With time, it develops a rich tertiary palette of aged leather, blond tobacco, truffle and damp undergrowth.

Palate
The palate reveals a concentrated texture, supported by long, fine tannins that have gently softened over the years. Pleasant freshness keeps it in balance and leads to a long finish marked by sweet spices and subtle mineral tension.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine is an ideal match for roast meats such as dry-aged rib of beef or rack of lamb. It also pairs beautifully with game birds, mushroom-based dishes such as porcini risotto, and mature cheeses like aged Comté or Salers.

Serving and cellaring

For optimal enjoyment, carefully decant this wine between thirty and ninety minutes before the meal and serve it at around 16°C. Château La Gaffelière 1999 has now reached full maturity and can be enjoyed until around 2029.

The authentic expression of a historic Saint-Émilion terroir

The estate

Nestled at the foot of the village ramparts in the Bordeaux region, the estate is part of a long winemaking history. Although the Malet-Roquefort family has been present here since 1705, Château La Gaffelière as we know it today was established in 1843. Count Léo de Malet-Roquefort and his son Alexandre now run this 38-hectare property. The estate stands out for its independence, illustrated by its voluntary withdrawal from the classification in 2022 in favour of the authentic expression of its terroir.

The vineyard

The single-block vineyard stretches across the famous slopes of Saint-Emilion, between the hills of Ausone and Pavie. The vines, around 35 years old, thrive on clay-limestone soils on the upper slopes and sandier soils at the foot of the hillside. The vineyard is managed rigorously, with manual harvesting and meticulous sorting in the vineyard, as well as natural cover crops to prevent soil erosion.

The vintage

The 1999 vintage enjoyed a generally mild growing season, with a favourable spring and a summer free of extreme temperatures. However, a few rainy spells late in the season called for rigorous bunch selection during the harvest to retain only perfectly healthy, ripe berries.

Vinification and ageing

This vintage benefited from the estate's modernised facilities, notably an underground concrete cellar built in 1990. This infrastructure allows the wine to be aged in barrels under very stable temperature conditions, promoting harmonious ageing and the subtle integration of oak notes with the fruit.

Grape varieties

The blend of this vintage is strongly dominated by Merlot, complemented by a significant proportion of Cabernet Franc.