2017 Chateau Canon - St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe

Decanter.com – 95 pts – JA: *Canon remains pretty austere at this stage with the Cabernet Franc dominating. It's not as immediately seductive as some years, but you can feel the bedding down of the tannins, restraining the elegance and floral minerality but not hiding it completely. Sit with it in the glass and you start to feel a wine that rises above the vintage. This is one of the very few where you feel that in 10 years time it will clearly be better than it is today, most do not have that grace and confidence. I love the juicy finish here. 50% new oak.* - 09/2019

Falstaff Magazin – 91 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, reife schwarze Kirschenfrucht, ein Hauch von Zwetschken und Nougat, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, elegant, frische Kirschen, feine, integrierte Tannine, mittlere Länge, frisch strukturiert, mineralischer Nachhall, zugänglicher Stil, bleibt etwas kurz.* - (05/2018)

Vinum Magazin – 17,5/20pts: *Von dichter, würzig-fruchtiger Art, vollmundig, mit Rasse und Typizität; temperamentvoller Wein, noch sehr verschlossen; kann lange reifen.* - 09/2020

Weinwisser – 18,5/20pts - GL: *Rubinviolett, satte Mitte. Offenherziges, sehr charmantes aber komplex verwobenes Bouquet mit Anklängen an blaue Früchte und Beeren, schwarze Johannisbeeren, Sandelholz und florale Aspekte. Am eleganten Gaumen mit weicher, runder Textur, wirkt fast in sich ruhend. Sehr geschmeidiger Trinkfluss, wunderbar ausgewogen und im langen Finale mit betörender blaubeeriger Frucht und floral-ätherischen Noten. Ein stilvoller Charmeur auf hohem Niveau.* – 04/2020

JancisRobinson.com – 17,5++/20pts – TP: *Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Layered nose with both the high tones of red fruit, flowers and vanilla bean together with darker brambles and incense. Very youthful fruit on the palate, which is round and full, finding notes of pencil shavings together with plush red fruit. The tannins are plentiful but ripe and soft, gently integrating into the fruit.* - 09/2021

Vinous.com - 95 pts - NM: *The 2017 Canon was bottled on 15 May, 2019. This needs time to settle in the glass, the oak rather vocal at this early stage and overshadowing the blackberry and briary aromas. It only takes a couple of minutes for this Saint-Émilion to settle and reveal more limestone-infused fruit that really shows its terroir. The palate is very well defined with crunchy black fruit. I appreciate the chalky texture and freshness of this Canon, almost brittle, with blackberry and brine-like notes on the finish. Whilst not up there with the superlative 2016, the follow-up is still very fine. Note that over multiple tasting this Canon improved between September and December.* 02/2020

Vinous.com – 95 pts – NM: *The 2017 Canon was bottled on 15 May, 2019. This needs time to settle in the glass, the oak rather vocal at this early stage and overshadowing the blackberry and briary aromas. It only takes a couple of minutes for this Saint-Émilion to settle and reveal more limestone-infused fruit that really shows its terroir. The palate is very well defined with crunchy black fruit. I appreciate the chalky texture and freshness of this Canon, almost brittle, with blackberry and brine-like notes on the finish. Whilst not up there with the superlative 2016, the follow-up is still very fine. Note that over multiple tasting this Canon improved between September and December.* - 09/2019

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 95 pts – JL: *Juicy, sweet, fresh and stony, the lively, ripe, red berries taste as if they were crushed and drizzled over rocks and stones. Add in some licorice, touch of smoke, silky tannins and an assortment of plums, and well, you get the idea. Lay this down for about a decade before pulling a cork.* - 05/2020