The 2012 Canon-la-Gaffeliere is an elegant, floral, and spice-driven Saint-Emilion offering full-bodied richness, fine, silky tannin and impeccable balance. It’s one of the more classic, elegant 2012s that’s going to benefit from another few years of cellaring and have two decades of overall longevity.

Floral, truffle, licorice, cocoa and blackberries on the nose. The wine is full bodied and concentrated, with round, silky textures and sweet, fresh, ripe dark berries in the finish. Still young, 5-8 years will add a lot of complexity and more softness to the wine. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2012&wine=Chateau%20Canon-la-Gaffeliere

(NM91-93 points) The Canon-la-Gaffeliere is an equal blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc picked between 3rd and 11th October and aged in 80% new oak. It has a perfumed floral bouquet with creamy new oak, succulent dark cherry fruit and creme de cassis emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and then it just dips a little on the mid palate. It remains balanced with fine acidity and a subtle saline touch on the finish. Fine – this might improve further in barrel.

Proprietor Comtes von Neipperg has done an incredible job with this estate, turning things around from a vegetal, diluted and undernourished wine in the 1970s and 1980s to something that has gotten stronger and strong ever since 1988. The dense ruby/purple 2012 offers pure blackcurrant and black cherry fruit along with some notes of Christmas spices and earth. It is full-bodied and opulent, with light tannins in the finish. This is a beauty of impeccable balance, great purity and texture. Kudos to von Neipperg, who rarely ever seems to make a mistake. Anticipated maturity: now-2030. The final blend tips the scales at 13.5% from an equal-part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. - Robert Parker

This has a lovely core of pure, fresh, well-defined boysenberry, blackberry and plum fruit, which glides beautifully over polished alder and vanilla notes while hints of violet and anise fill in on the finish. A lovely whiff of tobacco chimes in at the very end. This should be fun to cellar. A big wine that goes with the flow of the vintage and doesn't try to overdo it. Best from 2018 through 2027.