Chateau La Gaffeliere Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classe 1970
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The Land
In 1969, the year before this wine was harvested, workers at La Gaffelière uncovered the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa on the property, complete with mosaics showing vines. The estate sits at the foot of the limestone côte, with neighbors Château Pavie across the road and Ausone and Bélair-Monange above. Part of the vineyard is on the Coteau de Naudes, the hillside that gave the château its earlier name, where clay and limestone sit over the rock. Limestone gives Saint-Émilion red wine its firm acidity and long life, and Merlot on these slopes keeps a fresh, mineral line even in warm years.
The Wine
La Gaffelière is Merlot-led with Cabernet Franc, and in the mid-1990s it was about 65 percent Merlot with the rest split between Cabernet Franc and a little Cabernet Sauvignon. 1970 was the first big, healthy vintage of modern Bordeaux. June and July were hot and dry, August brought timely rain, and September was warm. The harvest started late, on September 27, and the crop was large. Pomerol made the best wines, while Saint-Émilion had a more uneven year. This bottle comes from a private cellar, and its storage history and fill are unknown. After 56 years, expect a pale brick-garnet color, a nose of dried cherry, fig, tea leaf, truffle, leather and old cedar, a light, silky body with almost no tannin left, and a delicate finish. Stand it upright for two days, decant very gently just before serving, and drink it soon.
The People
The Malet Roquefort family has been tied to La Gaffelière for more than three centuries, with the family's work on the estate traced back to 1705. The original holding was split in the 19th century; one part became Canon-la-Gaffelière, and the other was sold for decades as Château La Gaffelière-Naudes before the name was shortened to La Gaffelière in the 1960s. Count Léo de Malet Roquefort started working at the estate in 1955, the year it was ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé in the first Saint-Émilion classification, and the 1970 is one of his early vintages. His son Alexandre runs it today. In 2022 the family withdrew from the classification altogether.
Food Pairing
A 1970 Saint-Émilion needs dishes that let a fragile wine speak. Roast squab or guinea hen with a simple jus and wild mushrooms is the classic, because soft, gamey meat and earthy mushrooms match the tertiary flavors without overwhelming them. Try a plate of buttered tagliatelle with shaved black truffle, which meets the wine's truffle and forest-floor side directly. Veal tenderloin with morels and a little cream works because the wine's acidity still cuts the sauce. Open this one on a night that deserves a story, and share it with someone who will understand why the color matters.
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The Bordeaux wine region, an emblem of vinicultural prestige, is bisected by the Gironde Estuary into the Left and Right Banks, each celebrated for distinct styles shaped by their unique terroirs. The Left Bank is renowned for its structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends, while the Right Bank favors the softer, Merlot-dominated wines. This region is also the birthplace of the luscious, sweet wines of Sauternes. Bordeaux's time-honored blend and winemaking techniques have inspired countless wine regions around the globe, setting a benchmark for the wine world.
Bordeaux
Merlot, a red grape variety celebrated for its soft tannins and approachable fruit, is a cornerstone of winemaking around the world. It achieves some of its highest expressions on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, particularly in prestigious appellations like Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, where it forms the dominant part of many celebrated blends, contributing richness and plushness. Merlot also plays a significant role in Tuscany, where it is a key component in many Super Tuscan wines, and also stands alone to produce spectacular varietal wines. In Washington's Columbia Valley, Merlot thrives in the region's sunny days and cool nights, producing varietal wines that highlight its velvety texture and generous fruit profile. While Merlot is widely planted in California, some believe it reaches even greater heights in Washington State.
