Canon La Gaffeliere 2020 (1.5L)

97 VM / 97 JS / 97 JD / 96 WCI / 95 WA / 95 WS / 95 WE / 94 DE / 94 FS / 17.5+ JR

The 2020 Canon La Gaffelière is heady, sumptuous and totally exotic. A wine of depth and striking intensity, the 2020 possesses tremendous balance right out of the gate. Ripe red plum, blood orange, pomegranate, spice and leather all meld together effortlessly. There's real presence and depth here. Time in the glass brings out the purity of the flavors. The blend is 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. I can't wait to see how this ages - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Deep and intense notes of plums and blackberries with dark chocolate, toasted spices, walnut, crushed graphite and wet stones. Full-bodied with layers of ripe, velvety tannins that flow in a firm stream throughout the palate. Very structured. Delicious chocolate-wrapped black and blue fruit with spiced character and a really long finish. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. Drink from 2028. - James Suckling

Quite possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted, the 2020 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière offers that rare mix of richness and elegance that makes this vintage so compelling. Classic notes of cassis, ripe black cherries, spring flowers, and truffly earth define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied and perfectly balanced, with beautiful tannins and a great finish. This is another stunningly good Saint-Emilion that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.--Jeb Dunnuck

A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Canon la Gaffelière offers up inviting aromas of dark berries, plums, burning embers, rose petals, incense and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's suave and perfumed, with melting, powdery tannins and a vibrant core of fruit. As ever, the elevated percentage of Cabernet Franc lends it a singular and compelling style. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Ripe, fresh and expressive, with beautiful mulberry, boysenberry and blackberry puree notes that work well with light sanguine, black tea and singed apple wood details throughout. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2029 through 2040. —James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

94–96. Barrel Sample. A richly structured wine, this shows great density. The blackberry flavors, layered with impressive tannins, are expressively ripe and promise considerable aging. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast

Concentrated and intense, with juicy liquorice and blackberry flavours dominant on the attack. This is an excellent wine showing beautiful tension with slate and crushed stone texture. Chocolate shavings, bitter and intense, give a kick on the finish. Even better after 24 hours of opening, which is an extremely good sign for an en primeur sample. A yield of 32.5hl/ha. 50% new oak. - Jane Anson, Decanter