France

Ch. Canon

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

Bordeaux

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

The best for me since the 2010, just the perfect balance of ripeness, power, precision and finesse. This is more powerful on paper than the 2015 in terms of quantity of tannins but you feel them less because there are so many layers of flavour. Maple syrup, cocoa bean, cassis, black cherries, blueberries, violet and sage, with a saline kick on the finish. A wonderful example of what limestone can deliver. The texture is not silk, instead it has grip and grain, it holds you back and demands you stay around. Harvest September 22 to October 11. 45hl/hyield, 3.57ph, 65% new oak, harvest Setember 22 to October 11.

Inside Bordeaux

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.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc. pH 3.35. Aging 16-18 months in 49% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored. Prances out to the glass with eager-to-please scents of Morello cherries, fresh raspberries, and bay leaves, leading to hints of graphite and tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is subtle and lively with just enough red berry flavors and a chalkiness on the finish.

A blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Canon has a pH of 3.42 and it will age in barriques for 16-18 months, of which 50% are new. It is deep garnet-purple in color and sails out of the glass with bold notions of juicy blueberries, fresh plums, and Bing cherries, giving way to hints of black pepper, fragrant soil, and violets. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic black and blue fruits, framed by super-satiny tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and fragrant. Absolutely ethereal!

The 2022 Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc with a yield of 45 hl/ha, planned to be aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it requires a lot of patient swirling to release scents of fresh blackberries, raspberry preserves, and Morello cherries, giving way to emerging scents of rose oil, cumin seed, crushed rocks, and underbrush, plus a fragrant waft of candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and tightly wound with firm, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. pH 3.50.

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.

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.

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.

The fruit here is still crunchy and vibrant at three years old, blueberry, black cherry, smoked almonds and saffron. Clear density from beginning to end of the palate, with a rich full texture. Tannins are poised and confident, softening and adding to a creamy texture after 10 minutes in the glass. Bound to keep powering on for decades, needs another three or four years before starting to approach. 42hl/h, 52% new oak, 3.69ph, harvest September 7 to October 5. Thomas Duclos consults.

Aroma av markjordbær, bringebær, vanilje, kaffe, blåbær, kirsebær, perfyme

Fin balanse, savner litt konsentrasjon og kompleksitet

Smakt på slottet

Poeng 93+

WSET 2

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.

An enjoyably melted tannic structure, with the white pepper and saffran lick of limestone, sappy rise on the finish, with raspberry, redcurrant, crushed roses, generous and creamy through the mid palate (although you might want to head to the 2009 at this point for an even clearer example of that, as Canon takes time to reach its peak). This has poise and delicacy, and excellent balance. 36hl/h yield, 80% new oak, 3.7ph, harvest September 29 to October 9. John Kolasa's last vintage, with current director Nicolas Audebert overseeing ageing.

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.

Majoring on saffron and tobacco leaf aromatics, this has a delicate delivery of minerality and power, a tightrope balance of soft leather, strawberry and rasberry, with layers of mandarin peel and white pepper spice. Lace-like delicacy to the tannins, enjoyable and ready to drink. 80% new oak, 35hl/h yield, 3.66ph. Harvest October 3 to 15. John Kolasa was director of both Canon and Rauzan Ségla for this vintage.

Deep garnet in color, the 2011 Canon skips out with cheery notes of Morello cherries, black raspberries, and rose oil plus touches of fallen leaves, dried Provence herbs, and Ceylon tea. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet and refreshing, with lightly chewy tannins and loads of savory nuances on the soft-spoken finish.

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!

Still fairly closed, with notes of grilled Provence herbs, tar, charcoal, resin and crushed mint leaf. 2006 was a relatively cool vintage with some pretty surly tannins at the beginnning, and this needs time in the glass to open up. There is a subtly and nuance on display, as you find in so many Canon vintages, with precise and well crafted tannins A wine that is ready to drink now but can easily age for another few decades. 35hl/h yield, 80% new oak, the highest level seen at the estate (partly the vintage, partly fashion at the time in St Emilion) well integrated but leaving a trace of grilled cedar and tar on the finish. Harvest October 4 to 10.

As with many 2007s right now, this is an excellent moment to open. There is a clear gourmet side on display, charred black cherries with strands of saffron, leather, rosemary and white flower notes, welcoming and open, with the saline lick of limestone. Finely strucutred overall, ready to drink but not a vintage that I see powering ahead for decades so enjoy now and over the next five to 10 years. 3.72ph, 35hl/h yield, 50% new oak , harvest September 24 to October 4.

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.

The 2005 Canon is deep garnet-brick in color. It needs a lot of swirling to uncover notes of stewed black cherries, mulberries, and boysenberry preserves plus wafts of rose oil, cloves, and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate is still very youthful, with a firm backbone of fine-grained tannins and bold freshness framing the muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral-laced. This is nice now with a long decant, or cellar for another 20 years!

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.

The 2002 Canon is deep garnet-brick in color. It features notes of stewed plums and fruitcake with wafts of unsmoked cigars, cast-iron pan, and sauteed herbs with a touch of graphite. The medium-bodied palate is just starting to fade, with herbal and earthy nuances and firm chewy tannins remaining on the finish.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2001 Canon has a subtle nose of  leather, rusty nails, and spice box before opening out to fragrant notes of dried cherries, potpourri, and star anise with a hint of tobacco leaf. The medium-bodied palate has understated, delicate, savory flavors with a chewy texture and just enough freshness, finishing on a stewed tea note.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2000 Canon opens with mature scents of cigar box, dusty soil, and iron ore giving way to a core of prunes, dried mulberries, and Chinese five spice with a touch of new leather. The medium-bodied palate is graceful and delicately played, with loads of mineral undertones to the dried black fruits and a powdery texture, finishing with a lively lift.

2024	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2023	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2022	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2021	No priceAvailable	Extraordinary
2020	No priceNot available	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Canon
Vintages	2016
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging
Cork type
Selection
Wholesaler
Carrier