Super winemaking here, as ever. The Neipperg’s have retained delicacy here in what is a very structured, dense vintage. On the right bank, Château d’Aiguilhe in Castillon looks to have been particularly successful in 2025. It is layered and vibrant and sure to be worth adding to the cellar. So too the St Emilion Grand Cru Classé Clos de l’Oratoire which has appetising aromatics and is textured and zappy on the palate. Château Canon La Gaffelière has more delicacy and verve. It is not the most outwardly concentrated Premier Grand Cru Classé that I tasted during primeurs but it has super balance and drive. There is intensity but this is not over extracted [and there is a lot less over-extraction going on generally nowadays on the right bank]. Well-judged in my opinion. Finally La Mondotte is opaque and really deep. This is a layered wine which is focused and intense. Super stuff.

Over in Pessac-Léognan, Clos Marsalette has delivered a soft and textured red wine which is full in the middle and offers plenty of fresh, spicy fruit with an attractive earthy undertow. The white Clos Marsalette offers up plenty of pear drop and floral notes and has good texture on the palate. The white produced at Château d’Aiguilhe is really good. There are around 9000 bottles of this steely and precise Bordeaux Blanc. One to definitely search out.

In addition to the 2025 line up there was a super set of mature vintages to look at. It was a bit like taking a trip to Château Latour in that respect. There were two vintages of Château d’Aiguilhe shown, the 2019 and the 2014. The latter stole the show for me, which was a bit of a surprise. The 2016s vintage was represented in the Clos de l’Oratoire and La Mondotte properties and both impressed, the latter especially so. The 2019 Canon-la-Gaffelière was also showing itself to be quite forward and precocious [which the vintage has been from the outside]. Fascinating to taste a set of mature wines from these properties. Do seek them all out, especially so in value terms for d’Aiguilhe and Clos de l’Oratoire.

The following notes were taken at Château Canon-la-Gaffelière on Tuesday 21^st April, 2026, tasting with Magali Malet, Stephan von Neipperg and Ludovic von Neipperg. I hope you find the notes useful.

Clos Marsalette, Pessac-Léognan, 2025

Deep and saturated look; opaque at the centre; lovely leafy aromatics; earth; but also soft and textured; sweet ripe entry; spices; earthy, leafy; full in the middle; nice texture; has good freshness and acidity; some grip on the end but this works well. [20hl/ha, 60% CS, 39% Merlot, 1%, 25% oak, 13.5%]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2028-2035. 90-91

Chateau d’Aiguihle, Castillon – Côtes de Bordeaux, 2025

Deep and saturated; deep at the centre; nice freshness with some tar and plum notes; along with some spices; nicely polished; layered on the nose; nicely structured; fresh; good acidity and lift; this works well; nice palate creamy notes but also has freshness and punch. Vigorous. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% new oak, 13.5% alc, yield 30hl/ha]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2029-2040. 90-92+

Clos de l’Oratoire, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé, 2025

Deep and attractive; legs and life; nicely zappy and refreshing appetising aromatics; some minerality; open; but fresh and spicey; high tones but alive; good texture; mineral; quite schist and wet rock; fresh and zappy; nicely fresh with good balance. Nice zap and balance. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% new oak, 13.5% alc, yields 34hl/ha, organic]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2029-2045. 91-93+

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, 2025

Mid depth; has been more deeply coloured in the past but looks healthy and attractive; nice fresh and spicy notes; some savoury notes; quite a lot of zap and verve; quite a vivacious Canon la Gaff; spices; some tar; quite elegant styled; has freshness and life; not gone for a heavy style here; I think well-judged for the terroir. Fresh on the end. Works well. Will fill out during élevage. Zappy and fresh on the end. [40% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% new oak, 13% alcohol, organic]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2030-2049. 93-95+

La Mondotte, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe, 2025

Deep and saturated colour; dense in the middle; opaque at centre; deep; layered; some tar and menthol; very deep; lovely seam of black fruit; very precise and intense; layered and intense; nicely dense; has minerality; depth; some salinity; zappy and appetising at the same time. Fresh and nice finish. Very appetising. [70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% new oak, 13.5% alc, yields 26hl/ha, organic]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2032-2050. 95-97+

Whites

Clos Marselette, Pessac-Léognan, 2025

Brilliant silver gold in the glass; some candy; pear drop; really attractive floral notes; soapy laolin notes; works well; has texture; nicely done on the finish.[60% Sauvignon, 40% Sémillon, 20% new oak, 12.5% alc, yields 25hl/ha]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2026-2030. 90-92+

Le Blanc d’Aiguilhe, Bordeaux Blanc, 2025

Brilliant looking; steely and spicy; very precise; oyster shell and minerals; nicely done; excellent on the mid palate; textured; like this – they are making only 9000 bottles – on the limestone it works really well. [100% Sauvignon Blanc, new oak 20%, 13% alc, yield 20hl/ha, bottled late March 2026]. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink 2026-2032. 91-93+

Library wines

Château d’Aiguilhe, Castillion – Côtes de Bordeaux 2014

Mid depth; deep core; red at edge with touches of brown; spices; leather; lovely aromatics; has real joy; some tar; really attractive; nicely savoury; works well; has structure and savour; perfect for drinking now. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink now-2028. 92

Château d’Aiguilhe Castillon – Côtes de Bordeaux 2019

Deep ish; nice red; silky attractive; some tar and extract; leather, tobacco notes; nicely done; still quite silky and developed; very nice more dryness; little grip. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink now-2028. 91

Clos de l’Oratoire, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé, 2016

Deep; brown at the edge; nice and developed; spices; tobacco; leather; attractive; really nicely mature; developed well; spices; leather, tobacco – works a treat. Nice punctuation at the end. Really nice at 10 years. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink now-2032. 93

Chateau Canon-la-Gaffelière, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 2019

Really smoky and surprisingly developed [though in keeping with 2019s precociousness]; some lapsang and leather notes; works nicely; leather; savoury notes; the cabernets really express themselves; nicely done on the back. Soft finish. This is ready to go! Enjoyable. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink now-2032. 95

La Mondotte, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, 2016

Deeply coloured dense at the centre; super attractive spices tobacco and sweet fruit notes; lovely sense here; dense and works well. Fully mature, soft black fruits, tobacco, sweet and ripe, terrific. Beautiful wine. Punctuation at the end. Works at treat overall. Tasted 21/4/26. Drink now-2036. 97