2021 Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere

Other Reviews....
The 2021 Canon la Gaffelière is beautiful, bursting from the glass with aromas of rose petals, lilac, sweet berry fruit, burning embers and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and beautifully refined tannins, it's the highlight of the von Neipperg portfolio this year. Cabernet Franc, as usual, takes the lead.
93-95 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)

The 2021 Canon La Gaffelière is striking. Aromatic and expressive, with no hard edges, the 2021 impresses with its balance and overall harmony. All the elements are so nicely integrated. Crushed red berry fruit, white flowers, mint, rose petal and orange zest all race through this super-appealing, mid-weight Saint-Émilion. The 2021 is so well put together. It's is such a sensual wine. Drink 2031-2061.
94-96 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2021 Canon La Gaffelière was picked September 28 to October 14 at 30hL/ha and contains a little more Cabernet Franc this year (45%). It has an elegant, pure bouquet, unfurling to offer dark cherries, incense and violet aromas; the new oak (40%) is well integrated. The refined, understated palate is quite mineral-driven, featuring black truffle and ground black pepper and turning spicy toward the finish. Displaying fine complexity, this Canon-la-Gaffelière should give 15–20 years of drinking pleasure. Drink 2028-2042.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - Vinous

Lovely, perfumed character with cherries, spices and flowers. Medium-bodied, firm and polished with solid tannins and a fresh finish. Pure. Light coffee and walnut. Well crafted.
94-95 points
James Suckling

One of the gems out there, the 2021 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière is well worth seeking out. Giving up ample blue fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and complex, pure aromatics of violets, iron, and tobacco, it shines for its balance and elegance while bring terrific depth of fruit. Count me impressed.
93-95 points
Jeb Dunnuck

On the nose you find cigar wrapper, spearmint, flowers, leafy herbs, red fruits and spices. Fresh, crisp, elegant, bright, chewy and chalky on the palate, this is what modern classic Bordeaux is all about. The wine finishes with sweet, red fruits before moving to the intense minerality and spicy notes in the backend. Blending 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% ABV. The blend represents the highest portion of Cabernet in the blend. Yields were only 30 hectoliters per hectare due to frost and mildew. The harvest took place, September 28 - October 14. Drink from 2025-2048.
93-95 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

This has a gorgeous herbal-fruity nose, scented, fresh and lively with raspberry leaf. Impactful on the palate straight away - the fine-grained tannins hit the mouth and expand slowly alongside the liquorice spice and dark berry fruit with violet aromas. It's direct and linear at the moment, taut, and driven in one line. You feel it's coiled up ready to spring with strawberry fruit and the Cabernet aspects coming through. It's delicately textured, the mouthfeel is light and bouncy while the flavours slowly expand vertically. Touches of sweetness, bitterness and minerality appear adding interest from start to finish. I love the clarity you get. Impactful and full of complexity. Will be lovely to taste this in bottle. 5% more Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon than usual as some Merlot was lost to frost and mildew. A production of 98% grand vin. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.
95 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter