2025 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé

EXCLUSIVE - EXPECTED SPRING 2028

Winery Château Canon-la-Gaffelière

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière belongs to the historic elite of Saint-Émilion and has been managed by Count Stephan von Neipperg since 1971. The château was elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé in 2012 and is currently regarded as one of the most consistent estates in the appellation. Canon-la-Gaffelière is known for its elegant style, in which freshness, precision, and terroir expression take center stage. The emphasis on Cabernet Franc clearly distinguishes the château from many other Saint-Émilions and gives the wine its refined aromatic signature. More information about this winery can be found under the Winery tab.

Origin, terroir and vintage 2025

The vineyards of Canon-la-Gaffelière are situated at the foot of the limestone slopes of Saint-Émilion, on a mosaic of clay-limestone soils and sandy, gravelly terroirs. This combination produces wines with both tension and texture, ensuring that freshness is retained even in warm years. 2025 saw a warm growing season with perfect ripening conditions, yet Canon-la-Gaffelière managed to preserve a remarkable amount of freshness. According to several critics, this vintage is not about power, but about precision, energy, and elegance. The harvest took place between September 16 and 19, 2025 , yielding healthy, perfectly ripe grapes with a yield of approximately 35 hl/ha . According to the château, the combination of ripe fruit and natural tension makes 2025 a particularly refined vintage.

Vineyards and grape varieties

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 2025 consists of 45% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon . That exceptionally high proportion of Cabernet Franc forms the core of the style and lends the wine floral tension, freshness, and length. Merlot provides texture and ripe dark fruit, while Cabernet Sauvignon adds extra structure and precision.

The estate is certified organic and known for meticulous vineyard management where terroir expression takes precedence. The relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc in 2025 results in a strikingly energetic and refined style, without compromising on concentration.

Harvest, vinification and aging

The grapes were harvested entirely by hand and subsequently vinified in wooden vats for approximately 30 days . For extraction, pneumatic pigeage is used, a gentle form of skin immersion that helps preserve structure and aromatic precision without over-extraction. 75% of the aging takes place in oak barrels, 30% of which are new , while the remaining 25% ages in wooden and concrete vats. This combination provides extra texture and complexity without overpowering the finesse of the fruit.

Style, scent and taste

Canon-la-Gaffelière 2025 opens deep and refined with blackberries, black cherries, red currants, and forest fruit, supported by violets, peonies, and dried flowers. Behind these, notes of orange peel, white pepper, mint, sage, graphite, and subtle herbs emerge, giving the wine a remarkable amount of tension.

James Suckling describes the wine as deep, layered, and exceptionally refined, with black fruit, olive, white pepper, and an impressive combination of depth and elegance. Yves Beck particularly emphasizes the floral complexity and the way the wine retains its freshness even in a warm year. According to him, the wine possesses all the qualities for great elegance and a very long lifespan.

Antonio Galloni praises the wine's energy and names orange peel, sage, mint, dried flowers, and mineral tension as key characteristics of this vintage. Decanter describes it as a beautifully layered wine with Chinese five spice, ripe red fruit, and a calm, almost chiseled structure. What impresses most is the balance between ripe fruit, vertical tension, and velvety tannins.

Summary of professional reviews

96-98 points – Vinum: praises the floral finesse, vertical energy, and exceptional length. 96-98 points – Yves Beck: calls the wine complex, refined, and built for long aging. 96-97 points – James Suckling: praises the combination of black fruit, white pepper, elegance, and precision. 96 points – Bettane & Desseauve: highlights violets, graphite, and the refined balance. 95-96 points – Alexandre Ma: calls the tannins exceptionally refined and elegant. 95 points – Decanter: praises the layered structure, aromatic complexity, and balance. 94-96 points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous: highlights energy, floral tension, and mineral precision. 94-96 points – Lisa Perrotti-Brown: calls the wine mineral, refined, and beautifully structured. The full review texts can be found in the tab: Professional reviews.

Wine & Food Pairing and Discount

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the ideal wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grandcruwijnen customers. In the Food tab, you will find advice on what to look for for the right food and wine pairing, and a number of dish suggestions from our Sommelier.