Chateau Canon 1er Grand Cru Classé "B", St Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2021

Grapes: A blend of 71% Merlot & 29% Cabernet Franc, 34ha vineyard on limestone & clay soils, hand harvested, 40hl/ha yield, 16 to 18 months' ageing in French oak barrels (50% new), bottled unfined

Producer Tasting Note:

With its vibrant red hues and sanguine impression, Château Canon 2021 draws us into an electrifying encounter. At the top, raspberries and sparkling strawberries nestle in a peaty base. Then the colour intensifies, evolving into the deep red of cherry and the bitter black of a liquorice stick. The wine is firm and muscular, dense yet balanced. A precise and taut palate contributes to the harmony of these forms. Orange blossom envelops this composition with a radiant note, supported by the freshness of a touch of orgeat rather than honey. The multiplicity of registers is astonishing, making this vintage provocative for those who know how to delve into its nuances. Fruity, floral, vegetal, smoky; balance has taken shape.

The Merlot grape offers the irresistible fruit. Intensity, creaminess, flavour, silkiness, fullness, density, pulpiness, voluptuousness. The Cabernet Franc gives structured greatness. Tension, freshness, length, finesse, depth, length.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"A brilliant wine in the making, the 2021 Canon offers up aromas of cherries, wild berries, licorice, sweet soil tones, raw cocoa, Indian spices and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's immensely refined and seamless, with a lively spine of acidity, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating, intensely saline finish. This beautifully balanced Canon is one of the classiest, most complete wines of the Right Bank in this vintage. Tasted four times."  Drink 2028-2051

(94-96)/100 points, William Kelley, WINE ADVOCATE, April 2022

"Lots of crunchy red cherries and blue plums followed by violets, fresh sage and Christmas spices with baking spice and coconuts. Medium- to full-bodied with superb fine-grained racy tannins and beautifully refreshing acidity that gives an edge to it. Gorgeous finesse and elegance with harmony and precision. Delightful, too. Already drinkable but give this a few more years to come around. Try after 2026 and it should be beautiful for a long time."

97/100 points, James Suckling, December 2023

"What an aroma! Extremely complex, profound, smoky, cool, floral notes over dark fruit, captivating; soft and round on the palate, creamy texture, finest tannins, becomes more linear on the mid-palate, showing freshness and great precision, excellent tannin quality, magnificent length, violets on the finish. One of the truly great wines of the vintage, without a doubt."

97/100 points, Vinum Wine Magazine, September 2024

Food Match: Beef Entrecôte, Roasted Lamb with Herbs, Venison and Game, Duck Confit or Pan-Seared Duck Breast, Braised Chicken in Red Wine, Mushroom and Truffle Risotto, Aged Comté