New Release – Canon La Gaffeliere 2017, Croix de Beaucaillou 2017, Gloria 2016 and Saint Pierre 2016 re-releases

This afternoon has seen a furry of releases, including Cantenac Brown that has also released at £428 per case of 12 or £214 per case of six, which reflects a 9.7% decrease on 2016. However we are focusing on the following estates for 2017; Canon La Gaffeliere and Croix de Beaucaillou.

Canon la Gaffeliere has released for £654 per case of 12, or £327 per case of six. This represents a 15.6% discount to 2016. It is a wine that performs well from barrel to bottle, we recently re-released the 2015, which was awarded 97 points from bottle up from 93-95 from barrel by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. In 2017 it has been awarded 91-93+ from Lisa Perrotti-Brown, which we can expect to achieve the upper limit, the + point a telling sign. James Suckling has awarded is 94-95 points and Antonio Galloni 92-95. As such, it can be considered a fine Canon la Gaffeliere, which at £654 offers a 5.5% discount to the average trading prince since 2005.

Chateau Canon la Gaffelière is owned by Comte Stephan von Neipperg. The vineyard is sited just outside the town of St. Emilion, in ‘the Cotes’ just South of Chateau Ausone and West of Pavie. The vineyard predominates in clay, limestone and sandy soils, although the best parcels grow in deep clay, where the vines date back to the 1930s. It is an old Chateau, dating back to the 17th century. However, in 1971 the Estate was bought by Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg, which passed to his son Stephan, the Count of the Holy Roman Empire, who is the current proprietor. Stephan is ascribed with much of the Estate’s current success. He has been an exponent of modern winemaking techniques, embracing and experimenting with including micro oxygenation, for a time, but now this moderation is tempered with tradition. It has also benefited from close involvement from oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt. Vinification goes on for up to four weeks, in temperature controlled wooden vats, which is followed by 18 months maturation in 50% new oak. The results are reflected in the great 2015 and in being reclassified as a St Emilion Grand Cru Classe B in 2012. The triumphs are also reflected in his other properties which include Clos de l’Oratoire and the powerhouse La Mondotte.

As with La Mondotte, which received a perfect score in 2009 and 99 points in 2010 from the Wine Advocate, Canon la Gaffeliere is an Estate on the rise, in terms of quality and price. It is currently under-priced for its quality and status. The average bottle of Chateau La Mondotte has seen a 150% rise in the last five years, off the back of its growing global cachet and critical acclaim. Canon la Gaffeliere is on a similar trajectory. In fact, in the 1990s Stephan tried to merge the two Estate into one, but was not permitted to, based on Canon la Gaffeliere having a Grand Cru Classe status and La Mondotte not. Production is merely 7,500 cases a year and as such, supply is very limited. Taken together, Canon la Gaffeliere is a superb buy for any cellar, it will reward handsomely.

Also released is the huge favourite Croix de Beaucaillou, the once second wine of Ducru Beaucaillou. It is no longer such, rather a serious wine in its own right. The parcels from which it is sourced once went into the Grand Vin and are sited in the middle of the St.Julien appellation, near the Chateau of Ducru Beacaillou itself. Croix de Beaucaillou’s recognisable label stands out, so does it finesse, power and elegance, something it takes from the Grand Vin. It has been in a purple patch for a number of years now and again in 2017 it has produced and an excellent effort. It has been awarded 89-91 points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown who says ‘Croix de Beaucaillou has quite a spicy nose sporting cloves, anise, black pepper and fenugreek with a core of crushed blackberries and black currants plus wafts of underbrush and potpourri.’ Neal Martin has awarded it 90-92 points and taken together these place it in line with the 2014, which we think fair. We would have preferred to see the release at £325 per case of 12, but the £50 should not deter buyers who savour this wine, which offers immense prestige and quality. It may no longer be the second wine of Ducru Beacaillou but it certainly reminds one of it!
 

Chateau Gloria 2017 has released for £316 per case of 12, or £158 per case of six. This reflects a 12% discount to the 2016 release price. In 2017 it has been awarded 89-91 points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown and 90-91 from James Suckling. As such, we advise clients to revert to the 2016, which we have available for £360 per case of 12 bottles, or £180 per case of six for a wine that has been awarded 93-95 points from Neal Martin. It is the finest Gloria ever, surpassing the 89 point scoring 2005 which trades at £450 and the 90 point scoring 2009, which trades at £390. This leaves immense promise for a wine with a Price Over Points score of 25.7. In all likelihood this magnificent Gloria will be awarded 94 or 95 points, which offers incredible claret for £30 a bottle. James Suckling states that 2016 Gloria ‘Got it all here.’ The finest ever effort from this wonderful Estate. The 2016 is a great buy and will be bottle and shipped to the UK next year.

Chateau Saint Pierre 2017 has also released today at £470 per case of 12, a 16% discount on 2016. However, with the 2014 trading for £375 and with 92 points the 91-93 scoring 2017 fails to excite. Like Gloria, however, it turns the spotlight on the 2016, which is one of the best value wines on the market. It was awarded 94-96 from Neal Martin and 94-95 from James Suckling yet costs £545 per case of twelve, or £272.50 per case of six. In fact Neal Martin states ‘This is a fantastic Saint Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score.’ As such, we can expect the 2016 to achieve 96 points or greater. Saint Pierre is a tantalising prospect, a very strong buy indeed; the 94 point scoring 2005 trades today at £650 per case. If you have not already, Saint Pierre is an Estate to make a perennial purchase, especially in great vintages. It is a classified Fourth Growth which boasts magnificent terroir and an incredible winemaking team. It is the smallest classified Estate in Bordeaux, which only produces 5,000 cases a year. If you do not already own a case, this is one of the strongest possible buys for value in Bordeaux and as can be seen from the table below, offers plenty of upside. When this receives a score of 95 or 96 from bottle next spring, it should begin to move toward the price of the stunning 2009 and 2010.

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