La Gaffelière 2005

The 2005 La Gaffeliere is composed of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-brick in color, it explodes with bombastic black and blue fruit preserves, giving way to notions of pencil lead, unsmoked cigars, and bay leaves, with a hint of smoked meats. In the mouth, it is an absolute monster of a wine - full-bodied, intense, and jam-packed with black fruit preserves, nicely framed by very firm, grainy tannins, finishing decadently and with epic length. Delicious now, it should easily hold for another 20-25 years. Over one-third of the La Gaffeliere vineyard is located on the limestone plateau, near Ausone and what used to be Belair (now Belair-Monange). Most of the rest of the holdings are on the lower-lying area opposite Pavie.

The finest La Gaffeliere I have ever tasted, the prodigious 2005 boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a flamboyant bouquet of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, blackberries, smoked meats, incense, and Asian spice. Fabulously deep and full-bodied as well as ethereal and exceptionally elegant for its explosive richness and intensity, its lightness of being reflects the vineyard’s sensational terroir. This succulent beauty appears to be approachable, but that belies some significant tannins. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030+.

Medium red. Reticent aromas of red fruits, coffee, roasted meat and mocha; a bit low-toned today. Superripe, sweet and densely packed; large-scaled for a wine from this property but quite closed today, hinting at an almost roasted ripeness. Atypically deep cabernet franc here. Finishes with broad tannins and lovely floral lift, leaving behind a captivating violet perfume in the empty glass. Very unevolved wine, in need of a decade of patience and likely to merit a higher score at its peak.

A very big wine for the vintage, with impressive body, intense tannins and precise truffle aromas. Will certainly make a great bottle, even if a touch less elegant than some of the others. Drink from 2017