Château Canon la Gaffelière

Five owners in just over three centuries at the helm of Château Canon-La-Gaffelière

In the 17th century, the Malet-Roquefort family decided to build the château on the ruins of a maladrerie (a place where leprosy patients were isolated and cared for) dating back to the Middle Ages. It took several decades for the estate to become one of Saint-Emilion's most important producers. In the 19th century, Monsieur Boitard de la Poterie became the owner and marketed his bottles under the "Gaffelière-Boitard" and "Canon-Boitard" labels. His daughter's marriage to a son, Hisman Peyraud, brought the château into the Peyraud family's possession, and it remained so until 1953. Pierre Meyrat owned it from 1969 to 1971, before selling it to Count von Neipperg. The Count is an enthusiast of Saint-Emilion wines: he also acquired Clos de l'Oratoire and Château Peyreau. The von Neipperg family has raised its wines to the highest quality standards, always respecting tradition and terroir.

Under the impetus of the von Neipperg family, the profile of the wines has continued to evolve

This has been the case since the von Neipperg family took over the estate. THE von Neipperg family's passion for wine predates their acquisition of the estate, dating back to the 13th century in Germanic lands. Stéphane von Neipperg, with the help of Stéphane Derenoncourt, has developed the qualitative side of Château Canon-La-Gaffelière towards greater finesse and freshness. The first step in this direction was to reduce yields. It will take three years for the estate's new owner to give the necessary care to the soil and vines. This period also saw the introduction of new methods: exclusive use of organic fertilizers, creation of a Second Vin to use "unworthy" grapes for the Premier Grand Cru... Experts agree that the wines produced by the estate since the 90s are more opulent, expressive and gourmet. In 2014, Château Canon-La-Gaffelière became a certified organic Premier Grand Cru Classé.

Chateau Canon-La-Gaffelière vineyard characteristics

A sandy-clay terroir

. The grape varieties here are Cabernet Franc (the majority), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The grape variety is atypical in that Cabernet Franc is more present than average in this appellation. The fifty-year-old vines (on average) are harvested by hand.

Varieties

The blend of Merlot Noir (55%), Cabernet Franc Noir (40%) and Cabernet Sauvignon Noir (5%) produces round, refined wines with floral and spicy notes. Roundness is accentuated by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged under wood for 15 to 20 months.

Wine and food pairings

Kept between 10 and 13°C, a Château Canon-La-Gaffelière should be served at 15°C in a Bordeaux-style red wine glass. It's an ideal accompaniment to foie gras and truffle dishes, duck breast and aiguillettes, as well as beef chops and lamb.