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Canon la Gaffelière 2010

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot

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Tasting Notes

This wine shows wonderfully exotic tapenade, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, blackberry and sweet cherry notes in its strikingly provocative aromatics. On the palate, the wine is dense and full-bodied, with stunning concentration, purity, texture and length. It is full-bodied, silky smooth and seems to have more in common with the 2009 than one might expect, although the freshness and tannin levels are slightly more elevated. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

An absolutely spectacular success once again from proprietor Stephan von Niepperg. Gilles Pauquet is the consultant and has done an exemplary job with this particular estate.

95
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013

This is tight and powerful. Solid frame of fruit and tannins. Curious about this. Like the 2009. This is 40 percent Cabernet Franc, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 50 percent Merlot.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2011

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Canon la Gaffeliere delivers classic plum preserves, boysenberries and cigar box scents with wafts of underbrush, dried roses and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with a solid line of grainy tannins and racy freshness supporting the dense fruit, finishing with compelling purity and great length. 2020 - 2042

96
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

Very dark, sweet and succulent and much fresher than its stablemate Clos de l'Oratoire - but at the limit of ripeness! Lots of vitality, serious wine. Another sample tasted blind was also clearly at the far end of the ripeness spectrum, but seemed a little too sweet, almost sickly. Black cherry jam plus green notes on the end. If this second sample was not tired but actually more representative then I'd suggest a score of 16 and that the wine should probably be drunk in the period 2016-22 but my score refers to the sample tasted non blind at the property.

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2011
95
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2011

Fresh, expressive, a really elegant wine with 45% Cabernet in the blend. Impeccable quality of fruit. Abundant tannins but very refined. Drink 2018-2035.

18
James Lawther MW, Decanter.com, April 2011
Read more tasting notes...

One of the first to work with the now famous Stephane Derenoncourt, proprietor Stephan von Neipperg continues to fashion some of the most consistently outstanding wines in Bordeaux. This 2010, a blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon made from tiny yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, achieved 14.5% natural alcohol - perhaps the highest Canon La Gaffeliere has ever achieved. Dense, sweet, open-knit black cherry, licorice, incense and cassis aromas soar from the glass of this opaque purple-colored offering. Full-bodied, pure and undeniably sexy yet larger-scaled than normal, this beautiful wine should drink well for 15 or more years.

92/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. For a Saint Emilion, this seems to have a more classic, reserved bouquet that is well defined and crisp. There is a lot of energy here, very lifted with wet limestone percolating through the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, spicy red berry fruit and a harmonious, silky texture. There is prudent extraction rendering this Canon-la-Gaffelière very approachable in style, but perhaps without quite the structure on the elegant finish. Tasted January 2014.

93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2014

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. Comparing this next to the Canon, the Canon-la-Gaffeliere is patently much more opulent and modern in style with luscious dark berry fruit, bay and hints of truffle. The palate is full-bodied with sweet ripe fleshy mulberry and dark plum, hints of fig and white pepper towards the gregarious finish. It is a lovely, unashamedly exotic Saint Emilion. Tasted November 2012.

94
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2013

A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Canon-la-Gaffeliere is demonstrating better delineation on the nose than the Clos l'Oratoire with scents of black cherry, blueberry and dried apricot (reminds me of Jaffa Cakes!) The palate is full-bodied with very dense, almost oppressive tannins, a much more tannic Canon-la-Gaffliere than recent vintages, powerful and burly on the finish. This will require several years in bottle. Drink 2018- Tasted March 2011.

91/93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2011
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.