Château La Gaffelière: Vineyards
As noted in my introduction and profile, Château La Gaffelière lies below the town of St Emilion. Today the estate accounts for 38 hectares of the St Emilion appellation, of which 22 hectares were eligible for the premier grand cru classé designation (not that this matters after the departure of the estate in 2022). Of this perhaps only 15 hectares have been dedicated to the grand vin in recent years, implying a very strict selection. The other vines feed into the second wine, and it is worth noting that there is also a tiny parcel, just 0.6 hectares, planted to white vines. Chardonnay, no less.
The vineyards themselves neighbour some illustrious names, including Château Ausone and Château Belair-Monange. Towards the top of the vineyard, nearer the town, perhaps mid-way up the slope and overlooked by Château Belair-Monange, the terroir is predominantly Molasses de Fronsadais, and here Cabernet Franc rules, especially since the replanting of 5 hectares in 2006. Lower down the slope the vineyards run down to Château Canon-la-Gaffelière to the west of the road, while running further down on the east side, beneath Château Moulin Saint-Georges and Château Pavie.
