Château La Gaffelière withdraws from the St Emilion classification

Ranked as a 1er Grand Cru Classé B since the creation of the St Emilion classification in 1955, Château La Gaffelière has this week announced its decision to leave the classification process before the announcement of the new ranking in September 2022. 

This month, June 2022, a number of letters have been sent out by the classification committee alerting châteaux of any possible changes in ranking, giving them time to lodge an appeal. La Gaffelière received a letter calling into question, as they put it, ‘the quality level of our terroir, which has been acclaimed and distinguished by the AOC authorities for more than 65 years’ as well as the performance of their wine in the tasting assessment. 

The Malet Roquefort family have been owners of Château La Gaffelière for more than 300 years and over nine generations, and have chosen not to contest or appeal the notification, preferring instead to withdraw altogether. And their retort to the Commission is pretty damning: 

‘We no longer recognises its values in the criteria for evaluating the great terroirs and fine wines of Saint-Émilion as set out by the Classification Committee… As for the scoring system put in place for the tasting, it contradicts all the scores that Château La Gaffelière has obtained over many years from the greatest wine professionals. As a result, the Malet Roquefort family had decided to leave the classification without requesting a new examination of its candidacy and without asking to appear before the committee’. 

‘It is now time for us to bow out,’ said owner Alexandre de Malet Roquefort. ‘We no longer recognise ourselves in this system, to which we are historically attached and which has long honoured us. We will continue our work as winegrowers… while respecting the prestigious terroir of Saint-Émilion, producing wines in our own image, recognised and appreciated by wine lovers around the world’.

More headaches for the commission – and as other estates may have also received notification of potential demotion this month, they may not be the last.