Cellar Favorite:
1962 La Gaffelière

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 19, 2026

On my
to-do list is a vertical of this Saint-Émilion estate located just outside the
village. The château is situated on the main route into the centre, although
its idyllic gardens and maison are hidden away, with the tasting room located
on the opposite side of the road. Co-proprietor Alexandre Malet-Roquefort has
run the estate for many years and has taken the wines to a higher level over
the last decade. My experience with older vintages is few and far between,
notwithstanding that those from the 1970s and 1980s do not have a great
reputation. A 1982 I encountered last year was not terrible, though neither did
it befit the benevolent vintage. However, I have heard others wax lyrical about
bottles of La Gaffelière from the 1950s and 1960s. I was dining alone at Maison
de Colombier in Beaune when a group of friends invited me to join them.
They poured this Bordeaux and I was absolutely smitten…

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1768585330416-CF_Jan192026.jpg">The
1962 La Gaffelière was a château-bottled example, labelled in its appended name
of “Gaffelière Naude”. My first reaction was “wow.” The 1962 has a
scintillating, ripe and sensual bouquet with lavish black plummy fruit, blueberry
and cassis, undimmed by age. The palate has amazing precocity given its
antiquity, slightly lower in acidity than expected. It exudes plush tannins
that lend a velvety texture, wonderful balance and a pure, almost Margaux-like
finish that is divine. This is a fabulous wine from La Gaffelière's golden
period. 96/Drink 2026-2040 © 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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