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Canon la Gaffelière 2006

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

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Tasting Notes

Stephan von Neipperg's splendid 50-acre vineyard on clay and limestone soils has once again produced a beautifully ripe, concentrated, textured, sensual wine of both power and elegance. The 2006, an unfined, unfiltered blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, reveals sweet aromas of fruitcake, cassis, black cherries, roasted herbs, cedar, and spice box. This pure, textured, forward beauty should drink well for 12-15+ years.

92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (181), February 2009

The 2006 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière has a relatively opulent bouquet compared to the 2006 Les Grandes Murailles, with scents of cassis, cranberry, leather and roasted herbs, demonstrating a little more "guts" than its peers (as Canon-la-Gaffelière is wont to do). The palate is medium-bodied with furry tannin, quite plush in the mouth with tart red cherry fruit, strawberry, morels and a vein of tobacco towards the finish that carries commendable weight. This is drinking well after ten years and should provide another five years of drinking pleasure.

92
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, May 2016

This is really long. Very, very well done. Full-bodied, with silky tannins. Starts off slowly and then runs.

92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2007

Very dark brownish crimson. Both sweetness and rawness on the nose - rather odd! Sweet round start - great texture - but then pretty rasping green tannins again. Very chewy. Well sculpted. Just the green notes that let it down.

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2007

Bright medium ruby. Highly aromatic nose combines blackberry, violet, tobacco leaf, licorice and cedar. Dense, lush, sweet and fine-grained, with a wonderfully pliant, silky texture devoid of rough edges. Utterly seamless, savory wine but with no shortage of vinosity or energy. Finishes suave and very long.

92
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May 2009
Read more tasting notes...

Stephan von Neipperg’s flagship estate (and, in my opinion, one that should have been upgraded to a premier grand cru classe in the new St.-Emilion hierarchy) has turned in another stunning performance. A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, from small yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare, the 2006 exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as scents of creme de cassis, pain grille, espresso roast, chocolate, and spicy roasted herbs. Dense, medium to full-bodied, and surprisingly opulent for a 2006, with oodles of fruit, and terrific structure as well as purity, it is a more noble expression of Neipperg’s other St.-Emilion, Clos de l’Oratoire. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2024.

91/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007

Tasted at the UGC. This is a very fine Saint Emilion. Good intensity on the palate with black cherry, iodine, minerals. Good tension on the medium-bodied palate with firm structure and succulent texture. Harmonious and well-defined with wild strawberry, redcurrants and a touch of liquorice. A pert, tart finish. Very fine. Tasted April 2007.

91/93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2007

Good deep red. Raspberry, mocha and smoke aromas lifted by violet and spice. Lush, spicy and mouthcoating, with ripe acids giving definition to the musky raspberry and chocolate flavors. This really coats the mouth, finishing with suave tannins and considerable complexity. Owner Stephan von Neipperg notes that the average age of the vines here is about 45 years, and that the youngest plantings date back to 1986.

90/92
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar (132), June 2007
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.