Château Canon-la-Gaffelière

44°52′52″N 0°09′39″W / 44.88117°N 0.16085°W / 44.88117; -0.16085

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France's Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde.

The estate also produces the second wine Côte Mignon La Gaffelière, and is closely involved with the production of the highly-rated Premier Grand Cru Classé B "Vin de garage" La Mondotte.

Although an old property with viticultural history dating back to the 17th century when the Comte de Malets-Roqueforts bought extensive real-estate, including the site of a leper colony, and rented out large parts to sharecroppers.^[1] This vineyard came to prominence when Boitard de la Poterie family bought and cultivated what became known as Canon-Boitard, while the remaining land retained by the Malets-Roqueforts would become Château La Gaffelière.^[2] Both the estates apply the word gaffet, which translates to leper.^[1]

In 1971 the estate was bought by count Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg, and in 1985 passed control to his son count Stephan von Neipperg, the current proprietor. Accredited with much of the success of the estate,^[2] his other properties include Clos de l'Oratoire and the "super-cuvée" La Mondotte,^[1] as well as Château d'Aiguilhe.

Having once been an exponent of modern techniques in winemaking, including microoxygenation,^[3] von Neipperg has become critical of his own earlier vintages. Since the early 2000s he has reverted Canon-la-Gaffelière to a style of moderation aiming at a truer expression of wine, and is quoted saying "I don't make plum pudding".^[4]

The estate's consultant was self-taught oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt.^[5]

The vineyard area extends 19.5 hectares with the grape varieties of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Of the Grand vin, Château Canon-la-Gaffelière there is a total annual production of 7,500 cases, in addition to the production of the second wine, Côte Mignon La Gaffelière.^[1]

From a small plot of limestone near Château Pavie-Macquin, originally purchased by Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg in 1971 when it was named Château La Mondotte, the terroir initially produced crops that struggled to ripen and did not meet expectations.^[6] Using the most modern techniques, the word "château" was omitted to emphasise a new start, and that the little house on the property is hardly a château,^[6] La Mondotte was launched with the 1996 vintage. With its extreme characteristics, it is alternately referred to as a "super-cuvée" or a "garage wine", and has become one of the most expensive wines of Bordeaux.^[7]

From a vineyard area of 4.5 hectares composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the estate has an annual production of 650 to 1,000 cases a year.^[6] As well as Canon la Gaffelière, La Mondotte has also been promoted a Premier Grand cru classé estate with the Saint-Émilion reclassification in 2012.

• Château Canon-la-Gaffelière official site (in French, English, and German)