Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere 2018

WEINWISSER: "Purpur mit rubinroten Reflexen. Dicht verwobenes schwarzbeeriges Bouquet mit Cassisblüten und Brasiltabak. Im zweiten Ansatz dunkles Edelholz, Schlehensaft und Waldhimbeeren. Am mächtigen Gaumen mit cremiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, fein mehliger Extraktsüße und durchtrainiertem Körper, erinnert an einen 400-Meter-Läufer. Im konzentrierten, immer länger werdenden Finale eine volle Ladung Schattenmorellen, dunkle Terroirwürze und royale Adstringenz. Motto: «abwarten und Tee trinken» – hier entsteht ein Gigant!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "Fantastic depth and richness to the nose with plums, mushrooms, bark and some mahogany. Full-bodied, tight and focused with very fine tannins and a long, creamy finish. Lovely polish, balance and clarity. Drink after 2025."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Aromatically, the blend of truffle, flowers, mint, smoke, red pit fruits, licorice and spice keeps you busy, But the star of the show is all the mineral driven, fresh, lively, silky, refined, waves of roasted, ripe, red fruits and spice. Long, complex, lifted and vibrant, the fruit lingers and expands on your palate from the mid-palate through to the finish. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This has a lovely core of mulled cassis, damson plum and raspberry reduction notes, framed with an applewood note that integrates nicely while red tea, savory and chalky mineral notes develop through the finish. Restrained style, precise and very long. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 5,833 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Canon la Gaffeliere out of the gate delivers a seductive nose of plum preserves, kirsch and Black Forest cake with nuances of lilacs, underbrush, Indian spices and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is filled with black fruit preserves and loads of spicy accents, supported by chewy tannins and well-balanced freshness, finishing long and savory."

DECANTER: "This has the clear edge over La Mondotte for me because it combines the polish and glamour of a St-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé with the salt taffy tang of limestone. Still a silky texture but a more attractive slate edge coming in on the finish to temper the sweet fruit and slow things down. A highly impressive wine. The harvest ran from 19 September to 4 October, with a yield of 35hl/ha. 50% new oak. Certified organic."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Another beautiful vintage for this cuvée, the 2018 Château Canon La Gaffelière is based on 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up in 50% new French oak, with the balance all in used barrels. It's never the biggest or richest wine in the vintage yet always has a classic Saint-Emilion elegance as well as brilliant minerality. The 2018 reveals a dense purple hue to go with an already complex bouquet of kirsch, blackberries, new saddle leather, bouquet garni, tobacco, and flowery incense. With medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it builds nicely with time in the glass and is a complex, flawlessly balanced Saint-Emilion that offers both hedonistic and intellectual pleasure. It's going to keep for 20-30 years, and I'd recommend a healthy decant or a good 4-6 years of bottle age."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Ockerrandaufhellung. Mit einem Hauch von Lakritze und Hibiskus unterlegte schwarze Kirschfrucht, etwas Bourbonvanille, feine Edelholznuancen. Stoffig, süße Pflaumen, frisch strukturiert, feine, tragende Tannine, mineralisch und anhaftend, schon gut antrinkbar, mit sicherem Reifepotenzial versehen, salziger Rückgeschmack."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2018 Canon La Gaffeliere has a deep garnet purple color. It needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and cedar, with hints of pencil lead and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound and grainy, with just enough freshness and a long finish. It needs time!"