Drink 2010-2030
-Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

For opulence, decadence, and sexiness, this 2005 is hard to resist. One of the vintage’s most flamboyant efforts, it is a gorgeous blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. With a stunningly exotic nose of espresso roast, a juicy meat and herb concoction, spice box, chocolate, incense, and copious quantities of sweet, ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit, this full-throttle St.-Emilion exhibits good structure (because of the vintage’s sound acid levels) and high, but velvety tannin. It is a brilliant effort from proprietor Stephan von Neipperg. I would not discount its aging potential as the 1990, which I thought would have a short aging curve, is still going strong at age 18. The 2005 should easily last 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.

The Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 2005 has a gorgeous, voluptuous bouquet with small dark cherries, red plum, star anis and cassis. There is an inviting warmth to this nose, quite audacious but never over-powering. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity. This is extremely well balanced, very pure and refined with hints of Asian spice and white pepper furnishing the long finish. There is a sense of completeness to this Saint Emilion and it will continue to give pleasure for 15 or 20 years, maybe longer

Dark red; slightly raisiny character on the nose, very sweetly ripe fruit though; elegantly balanced, fulllish wine, warm, finely and firmly tannic; a lovely sweet core of fruit, savoury, graceful, mineral infused, long to taste and long to finish. A firm style of Côtes St Emilion, but very good, given time … a decade? 2023-30