The fact that wine was already being grown here in Gallo-Roman times points to the ideal conditions around the present-day village of Saint-Émilion. One of the most important châteaux in this prestigious appellation is La Gaffelière, which has been in the hands of the Malet Roquefort family for 300 years.
The 38 hectares of vineyards are located in the "golden triangle" between the hills of the Châteaux Pavia and Ausone, 22 hectares are classed as Premier Grand Crus Classé. The plots are divided into three zones: The limestone plateau lies 90 metres above sea level and has a layer of green clay and marl up to 5 metres thick. The Côte Sud/Sud-Ouest is optimally orientated for the maturation of the wines. Le Pied de Côte consists of deep sands that produce finesse and fruit. The total area is planted with Merlot (75 %) and Cabernet Franc (25 %).
The vineyard has been completely restructured since the 2000s. Today, the average age of the vines is 35 years. They are trained according to Guyot Double or Guyot Simple, depending on the desired planting density. The chopped cuttings enrich the soil. The inter-rows are naturally overgrown. The soil is worked mechanically.
Green harvesting is a matter of course and the final harvest is also done by hand. Transport to the 20 temperature-controlled fermentation tanks in the cellar, which was completely renovated in 2013, is carried out gently by gravity. After alcoholic fermentation, some batches are transferred for malolactic fermentation, while the others remain in the tanks.
Ageing always takes place in separate batches. For the first wine Château La Gaffelière, 50 % new wood is used. Barrel ageing lasts between 14 and 16 months, after which the wine is blended. The bottles are delivered two years after the harvest.
© Photos: Château LaGaffelière
