2017 Chateau La Gaffeliere Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 750 ml

Capped with not one but TWO blazing 97-point reviews from Vinous and Wine Advocate, Château la Gaffelière’s magnificently silky red keeps some amazing company. Fellow 97-point honorees from Antonio Galloni’s 2017 Bordeaux class include regional pillars such as Latour, Figeac, Ausone, Margaux, and Pavie.

Described as “such a gorgeous wine” by Galloni and “truly impressive” by Wine Advocate, the 2017 is a bombshell mix of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, crafted by star consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt. Seductive, full aromas of plum, red currant, and blackberry spill over the rim of the glass, accompanied by ripe, fleshy tannins on the palate and a sensational finish sprinkled with exotic spices.

Chateau la Gaffeliere’s 54-acre vineyard lies on what is known as the “golden triangle” of Saint-Émilion, a brilliant patch of clay-limestone terroir lying in the hills between two Premier Grand Cru Classé A icons, Château Ausone and Château Pavie.

A detail of the 2017 growing season helps explain this bottle’s standout quality. Frosts limited yields, but in scattershot patterns. The Chateau la Gaffeliere team ended up relying on the best plot, higher on the Saint-Émilion plateau and closest to neighboring Ausone ($900+ per bottle), to supply most of the grapes for this bottling.

This vintage will also be remembered as one of the first to include a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc (now increased to 40%), reflecting newer plantings dedicated to that grape, to add structure to the blend. Cloaked in a velvety veneer of 50% new French oak, this is one for the ages—over 300 years of pedigree for a value you won’t find anywhere else in this elite category.