March 23, 2024 - Great mature St Emilion. Black cherry, cedar, leather, tobacco and forest floor. Drinks very well, and shouldn’t need to wait.
December 12, 2022 - Brilliant ruby with zero color degradation. Remarkably fruity and floral bouquet. Raspberries and aggressive acidity dominate. Tasty red fruit funk in the finish.
September 24, 2022 - It’s near or slightly passed the peak of maturity. Delicious, soft, somewhat feminine-style wine with dark fruits, fine spices, and licorice notes.
December 31, 2021 - 1996 is a legendary Bordeaux vintage, and Chateau La Gaffeliere is known as one of St Emilion's oldest and most revered wineyards ... this was the first bottle I experienced at J's birthday dinner in Batai's Beast, in fact prior to the food being served. Perhaps better preparation and aeration time allowed this to exhibit its bold nature with blackcurrants and a leather palate. Medium to long finish and an exquisite way to kick off the birthday celebrations!!
September 9, 2021 - Nose of black cherry, black berry, licorice, and hints of bret, same on the palate, bog body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, rich fruit, at peak, time to enjoy your cellar efforts is now, medium/long finish, 2 photos uploaded, one photo shows the back of the bottle and all the sediment coating the sides of the bottle during cellaring.
March 18, 2021 - Nose of black berry, licorice, slightly overripe fruit, and dry forest floor, same on the palate, very tasty, 93 the first night and 94 the second night, at peak, time to enjoy is now, licorice taste with lots of black berry fruit make it terrific to sip and savor, and a long finish. Photo uploaded showing botle sediment from cellaring.
June 27, 2019 - Every bit as enjoyable as our first bottle. Drink up, not going to get any better resting in the cellar.
June 8, 2019 - Lisa's Big Birthday with Very Good Wine (Riverwoods, IL): Small glass, brief note from memory. Slightly simple black fruit with as much earth as fruit. Good length, good now but I doubt there is upside.
June 3, 2019 - Nose of black berry, black cherry, forest floor, and allspice, same on the palate, tasty, slightly muted tonight, earth and black fruit are dominating tonight, at peak, time to try for yourself, will not improve much in my opinion, and a long finish.
April 10, 2019 - Semble avoir rejoint son plein potentiel. Parallélisme entre une trame fumée teintée par la barrique et le fruit du noyau de cerises, les deux disgintuable de manière très distincte. C'est unique comme équilibre et vraiment exquis. Souple et tanins fondus. Intensité moyenne, mais un tantinet acqueuse. A magnifiquement bien évolué.