Château Canon la Gaffelière 1er Grand Cru Classé B 1996

Lot presentation

Château Canon la Gaffelière 1er Grand Cru Classé B 1996

The wine

Possessed by a passion for the world of wine since the 13th century, the Niepperg family, of aristocratic German descent, finally decided to settle in the Bordeaux region - where else? -in 1971. They purchased Château Canon La Gaffelière and several other holdings in Saint Emilion, including La Mondotte and Clos de l'Oratoire.

While the 20th century saw a long, difficult period for the property, with the wines frequently being considered too lightweight, the arrival of Stephan von Niepperg, the owner's son, as manager in 1984, resulted in a considerable improvement in quality, which only really took effect with the 1988 vintage, as it took three years to revitalize the soil and the vines, and to establish new working methods, with the use of exclusively organic compost, moderate yields, manual harvests, increased use of new barrels (up to 100% depending on the year), and the creation of a second wine in order to be able to separate any grapes of insufficient quality to be used in the main wine. All of these techniques were new to the property, which almost certainly explains the very average quality of the previous wines. This ¿renaissance¿ was confirmed with the following two vintages, and then, with the spectacular successes of 1992, 1993 and 1997, the property firmly established itself as one of the new stars of Saint Emilion.

Canon la Gaffelière's wines are often described as ¿warm¿, a quality that they no doubt share with the affable personality of the owner. They present a remarkable aromatic range, offering red fruit, toast, plums, cinnamon and other spices, and need between ten and fifteen years in the cellar to reach full maturity.

About the Producer Château Canon la Gaffelière

The Niepperg family has been driven by a veritable passion for wine since the 13th century. They decided to buy Château Canon La Gaffelière in 1971, along with several other proerties. While the 20th century was a difficult time for the château, the arrival of Stephan von Nieeperg in 1984 marked a turning point, with a leap in quality from the 1988 vintage onwards. Solely organic fertilisers are used and yields are moderate. With the help of Stéphane Derenencourt, the château has been restored to its former splendor. It obtained organic certification in 2014, and promoted to a premier grand cru classé. The future is looking bright.

Detailed characteristics