Saint Emilion

Review of the Year Part 3

Two further trips of note this year. The first was to Berlin in September and the second to Bordeaux and the wine regions in October.

Canon La Gaffelière Visit

Facts

Chateau Canon La Gaffelière is located at the foot of the slope south of the medieval town of Saint Émilion.

It has been owned by the Von Neipperg family since 1971.

At 19.5 hectares it is planted to 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Production of Canon La Gaffelière is around 7500 cases.

In 1988 they began to move towards organic practices and in 2014 they received full organic certification.

They have been propagating their own vines to maintain the genetic diversity of their vineyards rather than buying genetically identical clones.

Fermentation largely takes place in wooden vats purchased in 1997.

The property sources barrels of French oak from 8 different coopers. Toasting is medium and medium plus. Between 40% and 60% is used depending on the vintage

It was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the 2012 reclassification of the wines of Saint Émilion.

The Von Neipperg family also own the 4.5 hectare La Mondotte which is situated east of Saint Émilion. The first vintage under their ownership was 1996. Certified organic since 2014, production here is much smaller at 650 to 1000 cases

Tasting

Chateau D’Aiguilhe. Castillon -Cotes de Bordeaux. 2014. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 30% new French oak. Grapes are from a 25 year old vineyard purchased in 1998. There are plums, black fruits and spice here in a nicely balanced wine with a nice finish. An excellent example and very drinkable.

Clos del’Oratoire. Saint Émilion Grand Cru. 2013. 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 40% new French oak. Plums and red fruits with a slight floral note. Medium bodied, light spice and dry tannin. A delicate hint of coffee on the finish.

Chateau Canon La Gaffelière. Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion. 2011. 60% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 80% new French oak. Black and red fruit, savoury spice and a touch of floral perfume. the finish is long and savoury. Very Good.

La Mondotte. Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion 2006. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Great depth and complexity of aromas, black fruits chocolate and spices. Smooth and rounded with lovely black fruits, black olive and a touch of caramel. The finish is long and lingering. This is a fantastic wine and drinking well now.

The medieval town of Saint Émilion is an absolute gem and is a must do destination for anyone visiting the Bordeaux region. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and its location is wonderful, completely surrounded by vineyards. It is one of the major wine growing appelations of the Bordeaux region, producing red wines and is an appellation where the merlot grape reigns supreme.

I have been lucky enough to visit Bordeaux on three separate occasions. In August it was hot and very crowded. Parking is limited in the town, it is surrounded by vineyards, and is therefore very hard to come by if its busy. In December the town is very quiet and ideal for great photo opportunities but some businesses were closed as it was out of season. My most recent visit was in October and it was ideal. Not too busy, parking readily available even arriving late morning, everything open and pleasantly warm. I would guess visiting in spring would be pretty similar

Saint Emilion makes an excellent day trip from Bordeaux. The journey by car is around 50Km and takes about an hour depending on the traffic in Bordeaux when you leave. If you have planned a vineyard visit do allow plenty of time in case the traffic out of the city is bad. It is possible to catch a train from Bordeaux’s Gare St. Jean. There are 14 trains per day however not all of them are direct, the four trains during the main part of the day require a change at Libourne. At the time of writing the 9.11 from Bordeaux is the last direct train until the 17.09. The station at Saint Emilion is located about a 20 minute walk from the town, the walk is very pleasant but it is worth bearing in mind. It is also possible to join a tour from Bordeaux to the town. Costs here very much depend on the type of tour and its duration.

There is no getting away from the fact that Saint Emilion is a tourist town and wine is its most important business. Over the years I have seen that the number of shops selling wine has increased considerably. Many will allow you a tasting and there is no obligation to buy. There are some great wines for sale but you are unlikely to find any bargains amongst the more renown chateau on offer.

There is however much more to the town than wine. It is a town built for wandering, discovering the streets, alleyways and yards. As its small you don’t need a map but do bear in mind that its hilly. As you wander there are lots of little shops and not all of them sell wine.

There are art galleries and craft shops which are well worth a visit and a stop for the local delicacy is a must. Macarons de Saint Émilion are not the brightly coloured creations that many may be familiar with. These are thin, crisp almond biscuits and they have been made here for centuries.

There are also plenty of restaurants to choose from and the terrace area in the lower part of the town is very popular and it is easy to see why. It is a superb location.

Cordeliers Cloister can be found in the eastern part of town and is a listed monument dating back to the 15th century. It was abandoned in the late 18th century but then the caves beneath were subsequently used for the production of sparking wine. The wine goes by the name of Les Cordeliers and its production is very rare in the local region. Tours of the cellars are available as is a tasting of the wines. A glass, or two, is very pleasant on a warm afternoon.

Saint Emilion never disappoints and I always seem to be able to find something new in this medieval town. A visit is a day well spent.