I thought I had Canon-la-Gaffeliere in my cellar, but I pulled it out to discover that it was actually Chateau La Gaffeliere! Surprisingly, there are NO notes on this wine on CT, and I can scarcely find any availability on the web for it.
So…why not open it up, right? Could be the rarest bottle in the world! LOL
No formal TN’s yet, but suffice it to say after opening it, I am reminded why I love mature (in Cargasacchi’s words, ‘dead’) Bordeaux - the telltale aromas of ripe fruit, leather, brett, rich soil, and sweet anise. Beautiful. It actually SMELLS silky, if that’s even possible.
On the palate, it’s just a bit lighter weight than I anticipated, but the silkiness is there. Tannins are rounded, small, and mostly ripe. Tobacco, black fruits, roasted meat, but there’s a bit of a shortness to the finish this early on. I’ll see if it gains a bit of weight, as it has only been open for a few minutes.
I am sure it’s a lovely wine. If it wasn’t for the silly prices, 1997 (like 1987 a decade before) could have been a very popular vintage among drinkers looking for uncomplicated but savory Bordeaux. I have had Pontet Canet, Rauzan Segla, Cos D’Estournel, Pichon Baron, Lalande, Bon Pasteur and few others and, while they were all lacking the stuffing of great vintages, they were perfectly delicious. I think there will be some good times with 2007s coming up. Watch out people!
The 97’s were panned because of price and many were diluted. I have recently opened a couple of 94 Pomerals that are huge and still very tannic.
The off vintages are always a crap shoot, but sometimes you can score a bullseye. It is always about price with off vintages. The 07’s prices will have to be cut over 60% for me to have any interest.
1997 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (6/6/2009)
After opening it, I am reminded why I love mature (in Peter Cargasacchi’s words, ‘dead’) Bordeaux - the telltale aromas of ripe fruit, leather, brett, rich soil, and sweet anise. Beautiful. It actually SMELLS silky, if that’s even possible. On the palate, it’s just a bit lighter weight than I anticipated, but the silkiness is there. Tannins are rounded, small, and mostly ripe. Tobacco, black fruits, roasted meat, but there’s a bit of a shortness to the finish this early on. On day two, it has gained some weight, and some spice. The finish is still rather short, and abrupt, as it starts big but dies quickly. Not the most impressive Bordeaux by any stretch, particularly for the price, but still enjoyable with a nice pot roast. (90 pts.)