Description
Château La Gaffelière seems emerging from History.
Through the presence of its vines since the Gallo-Roman era, its name dragged from the leprous hospital or « gaffet » in the mediaeval epoch, and the owners grand genealogy ; the Malet Roquefort family, living for 4 centuries in Saint-Emilion, is acknowledged as the most ancient family of the area.
The Castel itself relays, through its architecture, modes and inspirations of numerous generations. It’s in this way that we can see a fifteenth century vaulted kitchen, discover a nineteenth century pigeon house – become a pool-house at the end of the twentieth century -, and pass through a seventeenth and eighteenth centuries wing which shelters the reception rooms.
This heredity confers to the Malet Roquefort family a motivating responsibility that the actual owner, the Count Léo de Malet Roquefort, builds on to renovate of course, but also to perpetuate the traditions which have allowed expanding the fame of Château La Gaffelière all around the world.
The choice of grape varieties is rather atypical for the appellation in light of the soil: almost a perfect 50/50 divide between Merlot and Cabernet. The Cabernets ripen early and remarkably well on Canon La Gaffelière’s warm soil, adding power and aromatic complexity to Merlot’s opulence to create wines of natural elegance and finesse.
It exhibits exotic, flamboyant aromas of espresso roast, incense, sweet black cherries, black currants, licorice, asphalt, barbecue smoke, Christmas fruitcake and herbs. Full-bodied with silky tannins, luscious fruit, a hedonistic yet complex personality, low acidity
#2 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018
The wines of Château Canon La Gaffelière have been certified organic. They are classy, remarkably well-structured, complex, pure, and always elegant.
Blend: 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon
Critical Acclaim
RP97
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Composed of 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in French oak, 55% new, for 17 months, the 2015 Canon la Gaffeliere features a deep garnet-purple color and a cedar-laced nose to begin, giving way to fragrant underlying scents of roses and violets with a core of crushed black currants, blackberries and Bing cherries plus hints of fallen leaves and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, the seductively perfumed red and black fruit fills the mouth, framed with plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing very long and minerally.
WS96
Wine Spectator
Still youthfully tight and backward, with a well-roasted frame of alder and juniper holding sway for now, but the core of cassis, blackberry and plum fruit waits in reserve, showing prodigious depth. When the toast and fruit melds, the backdrop of tobacco, singed iron and chalky minerality will get a turn to show. There’s a lot here. Built for the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2040.
JS96
James Suckling
The aromas of violets and rose petals are prevalent here with blue fruits as well. Full body, integrated and firm tannins and a long finish. Structured yet fine and shows such finesse. Give it five or six years to come together.
WW96
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
After tasting this wine over the past two decades, I have grown to see it as one of Saint-Émilion’s most powerful wines. The wine always offers excellent black fruit and oak aromas and flavors, but its tannins have also been strong. The 2015 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière has all of its parts in check, and the wine is stunning. The wine is quite substantial on the palate and exhibits bright blackcurrants, with a hint of violets. Pair its balanced richness with a crown roast of lamb. (Tasted: January 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
JD95
Jeb Dunnuck
From an incredible terroir just outside the village of Saint-Emilion and a blend of 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Canon-La-Gaffeliere is a beautiful, elegant, complex beauty readers should snatch up. Blueberries, violets/spring flowers, Asian spices, and a salty minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, yet elegant 2015 that has sweet tannin, a big mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Still tight and reserved, give bottle 3-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades or more.
WE94
Wine Enthusiast
This structured wine also offers juicy, elegant fruit. Full of black plums, spice from judicious wood aging and acidity, its core remains to develop. The wine needs to age so drink after 2024.
D93
Decanter
Pure and fragrant with a delightfully perfumed nose. The palate is harmonious and poised with a velvety texture showing maturity and freshness. Fruit very much to the fore backed by fine-grained tannins and a persistent finish. Now organically certified.
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