Château Canon-La Gaffelière 2021

Extremely perfumed with enticing cabernet franc aromas of black cherries and lavender. Some sandalwood. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are polished and beautiful, this wine has lovely length and freshness. 45% cabernet franc, 35% merlot and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Enjoyable now, but better in two or three years.

This has a gorgeous herbal-fruity nose, scented, fresh and lively with raspberry leaf. Impactful on the palate straight away - the fine-grained tannins hit the mouth and expand slowly alongside the liquorice spice and dark berry fruit with violet aromas. It's direct and linear at the moment, taut, and driven in one line. You feel it's coiled up ready to spring with strawberry fruit and the Cabernet aspects coming through. It's delicately textured, the mouthfeel is light and bouncy while the flavours slowly expand vertically. Touches of sweetness, bitterness and minerality appear adding interest from start to finish. I love the clarity you get. Impactful and full of complexity. Will be lovely to taste this in bottle. 5% more Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon than usual as some Merlot was lost to frost and mildew. A production of 98% grand vin.

The 2021 Canon la Gaffelière is beautiful, bursting from the glass with aromas of rose petals, lilac, sweet berry fruit, burning embers and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and beautifully refined tannins, it's the highlight of the von Neipperg portfolio this year. Cabernet Franc, as usual, takes the lead.

Based on 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon raised in 40% new oak, the 2021 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière has lots of Cabernet Franc floral character as well as attractive red fruit, chalky minerality, leather, and rose petal nuances. It's medium-bodied and has fine tannins, a supple, silky profile, and outstanding length. Drink this charming, complex, elegant 2021 over the coming two decades.