Chateau Canon Chaigneau Lalande-de-Pomerol 2012

"The plateau of Néac is essentially a continuation of that of Pomerol itself, and the majority of the best crus of Lalande are found in this corner of the appellation" , Decanter Magazine

Covering two distinct terroirs: Lalande de Pomerol and Néac. Château Canon Chaigneau is located in Néac, the much more reputable higher plateau of the appellation.

Lalande de Pomerol is recognised by serious wine lovers for offering top quality and good value.

Like Pomerol, a tiny appellation covering just 1100 hectares, with an annual average total production of just 525 000 cases.

At Canon Chaigneau, it posses the terroir of clay, limestone & iron deposits, very similar to that of the best part of the Pomerol appellation, and nearby Château Petrus, (just 1,2 km away to the south west), adding genuine complexity and making for excellent, refined & age worthy wines. 

Indeed, the Romans recognised the greatness of our terroir, and winemaking began here almost 2000 years ago.

The winemaker Thierry Garnaud, was winemaker of neighbouring Château Cheval Blanc for 38 years. He knows this terroir perfectly and knows not only how to sublimate its exceptional qualities, but also how to express its unique identity.

Thierry was maître de chai at Cheval Blanc from 1988 – 2018, responsible for such 100 point legends as the 1990, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016. His savoir-faire and talent is undisputed, the accolades for these wines are too numerous to list.

His ambition is to produce a wine that is both authentic and of remarkable quality and make Canon Chaigneau a wine of reference and a leader in an appellation.

True to his values and past, Thierry makes suave, fine, rich wines that are balanced, with beautiful aromatic complexity, typically with notes of truffle, spices, cocoa and black fruits. 

Winemaker of Cheval Blanc, Thierry Garnaud, has been in charge of the chateau since 1995, & will continue to make the wine for some years to come.

Making the wine with the same passion & alchemy that he had at Cheval Blanc, the wines share the same ‘iron fist in velvet glove’ structure & sensuality that persuades collectors to pay up to 2000 euro per bottle for even fairly recent vintages of Cheval Blanc. 

The wine is produced according to 'La lutte raisonnée' (literally 'the reasoned struggle'.) - using less chemicals than conventional growers and is noted for its elegance, finesse and delicacy due to a moderate extraction and a maturing process that respects the identity and inherent opulence of each vintage.

The winery is also certified HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) level 3.

Renowned critic Professor Colin Hay (The Drinks Business, Decanter) stated of the 2011 “Tasted blind one would not pick the vintage and might well imagine oneself the other side of the appellation boundary –in Pomerol itself.”

Sometimes maligned, but a success on the right bank, a very good vintage for Merlot. Supple, round and complex wines, drinking perfectly now and over the coming few years prove that you don’t need soaring temperatures to make good wine. Easy drinking but thought provoking. Thierry Garnaud’s 18th vintage as winemaker at Canon Chaigneau, his 31st at Cheval Blanc.

‘The nose immediately puts one in the vicinity of Pomerol... restrained and elegant than the more recent vintages... a cooler, darker fruit profile. Plush, full, rich but the product of a very gentle extraction to produce gloriously soft and enveloping tannins. Great intensity but with no harshness at all. This is starting to drink very well indeed.’ Colin Hay, The Drinks Business.

‘… a pleasant nose of black Dorset plums mixed with melted dark chocolate and iodine, moderate in terms of intensity and actually peaking after 90 minutes in the glass. The palate is balanced with vivid dark plum and blackberry fruit, although the thick smear of dark chocolate detracts from the finish, which is excessively toasty for my liking. This was still perfectly fresh and drinkable the following day, though the chocolate note did not recede as I had hoped. Still, not a bad Lalande-de-Pomerol at all. 2020-2026.’ Neal Martin

Awards:

88 Vinous

Gold Medal Concours de Bordeaux

Coup de Coeur at the Aquitaine Wine Festival in Wuhan (China).

VIVINO 4.1