2013 Canon la Gaffeliere

Tasted blind. Mid garnet. Red cherry fruit. Leafy, fresh. Powdery tannins but rounded out overall. Easy to drink. Dry finish. (JH)

The 2013 Canon la Gaffelière has a pretty nose in the context of the vintage: no under-ripeness here and nicely defined with scents of black cherries, iodine, violet and cedar. The palate is soft and supple on the entry with light tannin, a touch of mocha tinging the red and black fruit, leading to a structured finish that is simple but lingers in satisfying fashion. This easy-going Saint Emilion should provide a decade's worth of pleasure.

Modern, unblemished fruit on the nose. Lovely purity, smooth yet firm tannin that will support mid-term bottle maturation. For a challenging vintage, this captures great fruit quality and has admirable structure – drinkable now but with ample potential. (RH)