CHÂTEAU CANON LA GAFFELIÈRE
2017 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. 55% new oak. There is obvious depth on the nose - rich fruit and a hint of cooked meat. Silky entry, smooth mouth feel with powdery tannins building at the end. Still very tight. There is a crisp feel to the wine - elegant but without the flavour on the palate it feels slightly lightweight currently. Rating: 90 L&S (Apr 2018)
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The 2017 Canon-la-Gaffelière was picked 18 September to 10 October at 16hl/ha, matured in 55% new oak. It has a fairly straightforward bouquet with high-toned black cherry and cassis fruit, the second-generation fruit lending freshness, though it does not have the complexity or depth of a great Canon-la-Gaffelière and there are a number of those in recent years. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, fleshy in the mouth and well balanced with notes of raspberry preserve, blackberry and light tea-leaves; smoky notes emerging towards the finish. This was sampled several times during my tastings, the final two showings undoubtedly superior. Yet despite the Herculean efforts I still feel that the second-generation fruit discombobulates what could have been a better wine. It should still offer a decade’s worth of drinking pleasure and in any case, it will be fascinating to see how it evolves. Drinking range: 2021 - 2034 Rating: 87-89 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
Composed of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Canon la Gaffeliere contains a large part of second-generation fruit because 65% of the crop was affected by frost. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has pronounced crème de cassis, blueberry pie, red currants and red plums notes with touches of Chinese five spice, fragrant earth, tapenade and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with nice firm tannins giving a sturdy frame along with plenty of freshness supporting great mid-palate density, finishing long and earthy. Rating: 91-93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)
A blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 55% new French oak, the 2017 Canon-la-Gaffelière offers a Burgundian mineral-laced bouquet of crushed flowers, forest floor, earth and both black and blue fruits. It has sensational purity, moderate depth, building tannin, and a great finish. It’s certainly one of the fresher, more vibrant wines in the vintage, and the tannins will need to be watched, but its purity and elegance are something. I suspect the cellar will be your friend and it should be long-lived. Tasted twice. Rating: 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)
Very dark, black core. Lightly minty black fruit, suggesting ripeness, and a touch of oak char. Sweet and juicy on the palate, surprisingly light overall but harmonious and mouth-wateringly fresh. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030 Rating: 16.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)
Charming cassis and blackberry puree flavors glide along the polished structure, with light rooibos tea and anise accents chiming in. Offers a bright, polished finish. Rating: 90-93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)
This is really excellent for the vintage with wonderful density of fruit in terms of plum liqueur and creme de cassis. The palate’s plush but velvety with round tannins and a long finish. Should drink fabulously when young. So generous but silky and dialed-in. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)
Now certified as organic, this vineyard gave a yield of just 16 hl/ha in the 2017 vintage, a 'frosted figure' for sure. The volume is half the normal. The fruit was picked between September 18th and October 10th, the later finish contrasting against the fresher and leafy style in this vintage, which betrays the use of second-generation fruit. The blend is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14% alcohol. The maceration was 30 days, and the élevage will be in barrel using 55% new wood. The nose is filled with dark, fragrant, black plum and cherry fruit, heavily wrapped in vanillin oak, but also with a fresh and leafy edge. It is quite succulent on the palate, lightly creamed in terms of texture, but with a delicate poise through the middle, a medium-bodied wine carrying a weight of ripe and rich tannins and also the oak suggested on the nose. Overall, while substantial, it does not present the velvety weight of fruit you see in many vintages, and it comes in a much fresher and leafy style this year. A very long, ripe, tannic grip. Good. Tasted twice. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)
Château Canon La Gaffelière
Château Canon La Gaffelière started out life with two seperate names. It was known as Canon Boitard and La Gaffelière-Boitard in the 19th century. Skipping ahead to modern history, in 1969, Count Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg purchased the Bordeaux wine estate in 1971. The von Neipperg family remain the owners today. Stephan von Neipperg manages the property as well as several other St. Emilion estates owned by the family. The Bordeaux wine property is located south of the St. Emilion village. It’s not far from La Gaffeliere. The terroir is sand and clay. The sandy topsoil adds more sand when you travel further from the slopes. The slope soil has a large concentration of clay. There is also a thick vein of clay in the subsoil, at a depth of between 70 and 150 cm.