1st Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion
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Figuring among the unavoidable references of the Saint-Emilion vineyard, Château Canon la Gaffelière embodies the excellence of the great wines of Rive droite of Bordeaux. Located at the foot of the hillside south of the village of Saint-Emilion, it is a vineyard whose existence is documented as early as the 17th century. But its modern history is inseparable from the family of the Counts Von Neipperg, belonging to the German nobility, who acquired it in 1971. This family has always had an unfailing link with viticulture and today, Stephan Von Neipperg works to maintain this vineyard and its exceptional terroir at the top of the range, with passion and respect for the environment. Indeed, the property has been certified in Organic Agriculture since 2014.
The Château Canon la Gaffelière was named Grand Cru Classé when the Saint-Emilion classification was created in 1955. It was not until the 2012 edition that it would accede to the title of Premier Grand Cru Classé, confirming the greatness of its wines.
The Château Canon la Gaffelière watches over a 19.5 hectare vineyard planted on clayey-limestone and sandy-clay soils at the foot of the hillside. The grape varieties are 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are aged for 15 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 50 to 80% of which are new.
The property produces a Second wine, Hauts de Canon La Gaffelière.
The Château Canon la Gaffelière delivers wines of great finesse, elegance, structure, and complexity, which leave an indelible impression on anyone who appreciates them.
The 2016 vintage is a very good one for the Bordeaux vineyard. The beautiful weather of June will allow the flowering to be fast and homogeneous, and the summer that will follow will be dry and hot. The vineyard will thus follow an adequate evolution. Thanks to the very good climatic conditions of September and October, which allowed the different grape varieties to perfect their maturity, the harvest was of exceptional quality.
Blend of the 2016 vintage: 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The robe is a deep dark color, tinged with brilliant garnet reflections.
The nose is intense and offers balanced notes of black fruits, cherry and blackberry, graphite, truffle and spices, enhanced by a touch of cocoa.
The attack is precise, the wine evolves on a voluptuous texture and shows a superb freshness. Playing on a register of small red fruits, it rises in power thanks to fine and elegant tannins, before blossoming on a long finish with a nice acidity. A 2016 Canon la Gaffelière of pure pleasure.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Canon la Gaffelière 2016 will pair well with grilled tomahawk prime rib, roasted venison slab with cocoa powder, roasted Corrèze veal knuckle with Bresse butter, or a herb-crusted rack of lamb.
For a pairing with cheese, choose uncooked pressed cheeses: Edam, Gouda, Saint-nectaire, morbier, Tomme de Savoie or Salers.
For dessert, it will be particularly exquisite with a black forest, a pistachio-chocolate dessert or a pear-caramel and pecan tartlet.
Ageing potential and tasting:
Château Canon la Gaffelière 2016 has great cellaring potential, and can wait several more years in the cellar to reach its peak between 2030 and 2033.
But it lends itself wonderfully to tasting today if properly prepared. To do so, take care to place the bottle the night before in the serving room at room temperature. Open and decant the bottle ideally 6 to 7 hours before tasting.
The bottles should be kept in the cellar, protected from light, lying down, at an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
