2023 Canon-la-Gaffeliere (St-Emilion)

Intense ruby colour, satiny texture with a reassuring correction of salted cracker to give balance to the exuberant raspberry fruits. Lifts not just on the finish but from the first moments, stretching out with a kick of slate and crushed rocks. Sleek and burnished. 75% in oak barrels for ageing (40% new) on the lees. 25% in vats. 35hl/ha. 94 points

The 2023 Canon la Gaffeliere offers up aromas of minty berries, plums, pencil shavings, dried herbs and bay leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, bright and crunchy palate underpinned by tangy acids and chalky tannins. It`s a blend of 35% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 90-92 points

The 2023 Canon La Gaffeliere saw harvest between September 20 and 29, cropped at 35hL/ha with slightly more Cabernet Franc (45%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) than usual. Matured in 40% new oak, this sports an unashamedly floral bouquet with pressed iris and violet flowers that are integrated with the black fruit—incredibly precise. The palate is very well balanced with slightly chalky tannins (a leitmotif of von Neipperg`s 2023s). It fans out gently on the finish, yet it maintains a sense of verticality that you don`t usually see in this Saint-Émilion. This is excellent, but a bit more Left Bank in style this year. 92-94 points

The 2023 Canon La Gaffeliere is a powerful, dense wine. In recent years Canon La Gaffeliere has been on the more perfumed side, but the 2023 moves in a direction of textural intensity. On the other hand, its balance is compelling. Dark red-toned fruit, pomegranate, spice, blood orange, mint and dried herbs open, but only with great reluctance. Tannins are present but also buried by the fruit. 94-97 points