France

Ch. Canon

Chateau Canon Premier Grand Cru Classe B Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Bordeaux

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Stunning, grab-a-friend, insanely good wine. The structure and tannic grip manage to be both barely there and tightly controlling, giving form and space for the raspberry, blueberry and pomegrante fruits to crowd in the palate, followed by oyster shell salinity, pummice stone scrape and electic points of mandarin peel and lemon grass. Finished with pure no messing about juiciness. 50% new barrels, 3.53ph. Harvest 4 September to 23 September. 50% new oak, 40hl/ha yield. Thomas Duclos consultant, Nicolas Audebert director.

Inside Bordeaux

The 2020 Canon is composed of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-black colored, it leaps with gregarious notions of red currant jelly, fresh, crunchy plums, and wild blueberries, leading to suggestions of cedar chest, violets, clove oil, and licorice with a waft of truffles. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of vibrant black and red berry layers, supported by super-plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and energetic. Gorgeous!

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Finesse and saline limestone character on full display, spiced plum, textural as ever, with finely boned architecture, in the line of great Canon vintages, with density to the black fruits and the mouthwateringly precise tannic grip and oyster shell salinity. 50% new oak for ageing, harvest September 6 through to October 4 (with Merlot going right through until the end, unlike many places, here they really waited). 45hl/ha yield, in organic conversion. Tasted twice.

The inky intensity of the colour might make you worry that the limestone signature will be swamped, but it is very much guiding proceedings on the palate here. Expect waves of red roses, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, salinity, but also real intensity, there is a depth and complexity that quite stunning as the wine expands through the palate, with creamy blue and black fruits, and a mouthwatering oyster shell finish. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, 50% new oak, with four larger-sized oak casks. A standout in the vintage, more proof of the exceptional level that Canon is playing at right now. 50% new oak.

The 2021 Canon is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, expressive notes of kirsch, fresh blackberries, and juicy plums emerge confidently from the glass, followed by suggestions of licorice, sandalwood, and fragrant earth. The medium-bodied palate has tightly wound layers of bright, energetic black and red fruits, framed by firm, yet rounded, tannins and great tension, finishing with wonderful length and depth.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Canon prances out with showy notes of wild blueberries, fresh boysenberries, and black raspberries giving way to fragrant scents of sassafras, cumin seed, star anise, and red roses. The full-bodied palate delivers waves of bright black and blue fruits with wonderful freshness and plush, rounded tannins, finishing long and energetic.

Masse røde bær som hoppet ut av glasset. Kokte, modne, syrlige bringebær, jordbær og moreller. Veldig elegant preg av vanilje. 
Masse moreller på smak. Med høy konsentrasjon og elegant tanninstruktur. 

Overraskende «feminin» til 2018 årgangen å være. En utrolig vin!

Expert

Cabernet Franc dominant, with raspberry leaf, blueberries, wild strawberry, rosemary and sage, with touch of rhubarb and salted caramel at the close of play. This has a real sense of energy, it is light of touch, deft and enjoyable. No need to wait to drink this although no hurry also. 56% new oak. No frost here on the St Emilion plateau compared to many in the appellation, so less issues with ripening, although there was still rain in September, giving a lighter framed vintage compared to the ones on either side. 42hl/h yield, 56% new oak, harvest September 4 to 27. 3.66ph.

The 2016 Canon is deep garnet-black in color. Wow - it rockets out of the glass with a powerful nose of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and blueberry compote followed by fragrant wafts of rose oil, dark chocolate, licorice, and tar. Medium to full-bodied, rich, and concentrated, the palate delivers a firm grainy texture and jaw-dropping tension to counter the profound, muti-layered black fruits, finishing with great length and depth.

Deep garnet in color, the 2015 Canon needs a bit of coaxing to bring out fragrant notes of kirsch, baked plums, and boysenberry preserves followed by hints of garrigue, star anise, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate offers great tension and firm chewy tannins to counter the opulent black fruit, finishing with great length.

The 2014 Canon is deep garnet in color. A little closed and broody to begin, it delivers emerging scents of smoked meats, tapenade, and dusty soil followed by a core of prunes and Morello cherries. The medium to full-bodied palate has a refreshing backbone and chewy tannins supporting the evolved flavors, finishing a little firm and drying.

Softly spoken, raspberry colour, a whisp of gunsmoke, this is a pretty wine, has charm and softly melted tannins. The acidity is fresh on the finish, a little overly so, and you are not getting the concentration through the mid palate to really go thedistance, but there is charm here, it is balanced and drinkable with walnut and salted cracker edging as it opens. 35hl/h, 3.5ph, 70% new oak, harvest October 1 to 10.

Deep garnet in color, the 2012 Canon storms out of the glass with powerful notes of baked blackberries, prunes, and scorched earth leading to hints of sandalwood and tobacco with a waft of dried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a generous core of mature black fruit and savory layers, with a chewy texture and a stewed tea note on the finish.

An evident delicacy to the tannins, this is rippling with flavour and definitely moreish, but the austerity of the vintage is evident, meaning it is subtle and lightly-structured rather than generous. Plenty of sappy fruit flavours as things relax in the glass, with redcurrant, black cherries and cassis, set against crushed stones, white pepper spice, smoke, cold campfire. Harvest September 13 to 17, ph 3.49, 36hl/h yield. 70% new oak

High alcohol but this takes it in its stride. A tiny trace of heat offset by delicious juice running underneath, and plenty of spiced plum and blackberry fruits, edges of pomegranate and slate. Good quality, a great Canon if with a touch less precision than you will find in recent years - but these are wines that stand the test of time, and that will offer endless opportunities for joy.

Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Canon bursts from the glass with bombastic notes of plum preserves, black cherry compote, and blueberry pie with suggestions of dark chocolate and licorice plus a hint of wood smoke. Full-bodied, rich, and plush in the mouth, the palate is packed with decadent black fruit preserves and spicy layers, finishing with epic length. Yum!

The 2008 Canon is deep garnet-brick in color. Notes of baked plums, stewed black and red cherries, and smoked meats all jump from the glass, followed by hints of garrigue, spice cake, and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is mature and drinking deliciously now, with pleasantly chewy tannins and plenty of spice-laced black fruit preserves flavors on offer, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2007 Canon gives up notes of loose-leaf tobacco, sandalwood, and dusty soil with a core of dried mulberries, mince pies, and wilted roses. The medium-bodied palate is just a little flat and fading, with a pleasant tealeaf and dried flower character and chewy tannins, finishing a little firm.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2006 Canon rocks up with evolved notes of baked plums, raspberry preserves, and kirsch plus hints of crushed rocks, wild sage, and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is bright as a penny, delivering plenty of black fruits with tertiary/earthy nuances and precise, grainy tannins, finishing long and lively. This is a pleasant surprise! 2006 was the first vintage after they got rid of the old wooden vats and installed stainless-steel tanks.

Gorgeous limestone typicity, salinity, gentle raspberry and redcurrant, blond tobacco. You see the difference in precision between this vintage and more recent years, but it's hard to complain about the gentle pleasures of autumnal fruits along with orange peel, black truffle, fennel and oyster shell. Tasted twice in the last few months, and again last summer, just a totally gorgeous wine that is blossoming. Savour its brilliance. Harvest September 20 to 28, ph 3.55. 60% new oak. 35hl/hyield.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2004 Canon rolls out of the glass with ready-to-go notes of plum pudding, cigar box, and dried roses before opening out to a core of dried cranberries and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate delivers a great core of lively black and red fruits, supported by rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with great length. It is drinking well right now!

Olive tapenade, truffles, a sweet strawberry attack that opens to maple syrup, fig, saffron, smoked fennel and gentle white pepper spice. At 16 years on this shows fully ripe fruit that has softened and opened but is still giving pleasure, with plenty of juice running through the tannins. The heat and drought of 2003 makes it signpost vintage, in that it can tell you a lot about the terroir of an estate, and here you see the full benefits of limestone maintaining uplift. It's definitely ready to drink, but feels welcoming rather than tired. 28hl/h yield. 50% new oak, 3.59ph, harvest September 9 to 16.

2023	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2022	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2021	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2020	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2019	No priceNot available	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Canon
Vintages	2020
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Bottle	75 cl

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Sugar	g/l

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