2018 Chateau Canon - St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe

Decanter.com – 98 pts – JA: *A beautiful Canon that performs the 360-degree trick in your mouth of expanding up, down and out. Of course a little austere right now at this young age, but already walking the tightrope towards richness; the creaminess in the texture becomes clear after 20 minutes in the glass. This has salinity, purity, precision and grip, showing its distinct personality and its ability to draw juice and mouthwatering expression from the fruits.* - 11/2020

Falstaff Magazin - 96 pts: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. Dunkles Beerenkonfit, reife Pflaumen, ein Hauch von Edelholz, etwas Nougat, frische Orangenzesten, Komplex, feine Extraktsüße, reife Herzkirschen, integrierte Tannine, schokoladig, gut anhaftend, mineralischer Nachhall, gute Frische, sicheres Reifepotenzial.* - 06/2019

*The 2018 Canon is blended of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.69 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it comes sashaying out of the glass with glamorous notes of cinnamon stick, baked blackberries, black cherry compote and licorice plus an undercurrent of plum preserves and smoked meats and, with coaxing, reveals a lovely floral signature of candied violets and red roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully soft-spoken, whispering of fragrant floral and earthy scents beneath a core of profound, mouth-coating black and blue fruits, draped in a high level of super ripe, plush tannins, finishing with amazing freshness and perfume with loads of mineral sparks emerging.* (97-99/100)

Vinum Magazin – 18/20pts: *Grosse aromatische Vielfalt mit Noten von Blumen und Beeren, superbe Eleganz und Raffinesse, samten, perfekte Harmonie von Extrakt und Frische; hervorragender, stilvoller Wein.* - 06/2019

Weinwisser – 19/20pts - WL: *Purpur mit rubinrotem Rand. Was für eine Delikatesse mit vielschichtigem Bouquet nach reifen Schattenmorellen, Lakritze, dunkle Schokotrüffel und Zitronenthymiannote. Am sublimen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, kakaoartiges Tannin, fein körniges Extrakt und eine magische Rasse – alles in perfekter Balance. Im aromatischen Finale ein Feuerwerk mit schwarzen Johannisbeeren, parfümiertem Pfeifentabak und edler Adstringenz. Hat die höhere Note zu Recht erlangt – Bravo!* – 04/2021

*Features a gorgeous core of plum and black currant fruit, deeply inlaid with tobacco notes and chalky minerality. Everything melds wonderfully through the finish, which is refined in feel.* (96-99/100)

JancisRobinson.com – 18/20pts – JR: *Tasted blind. Quite pale; quite a simple colour. Tea-leaf aroma. Not that concentrated but nicely balanced. Very fresh – as though it’s trying to play that card! Canon? Lots on the finish.* - 01/2022

*Couleur intense, belle, noire. Nez intense, fin, fruité, subtil, épicé. Touche de framboise, de mûre sauvage, finement vanillé. Moelleux à l’attaque, fondant et aérien, très, très dense en milieu de bouche, avec un gras fin, le vin glisse au palais, puis rebondit et va grandissant en finale, complet, complexe et profond. C’est délicieux ! Le génie de ce terroir est d'offrir du parfum malgré le caractère très tannique du millésime. Peu de crus à Bordeaux en sont capables.* (98/100)

JamesSuckling.com - 98-99pts - JS: *This is a dense and focused Canon with beautiful blackberry, almond and hazelnut character. Vivid and lifted. It’s compact and complete with tannins that melt into the center palate and then build at the end. Full-bodied yet reserved and driven. A superb and focused wine. Classy all the way. New 1955?* (98-99/100)
~~~
JamesSuckling.com - 98pts - JS: *Blackberries and tar with wet-earth and dark-bark aromas. Dark-chocolate and brownie notes, too. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a round, caressing finish. Lovely focus and intensity, though dense and layered. Extremely creamy and polished. Really precise and bespoke. It already opens beautifully on the palate. Drink after 2025.* - 01.2021

Vinous.com – 98 pts – AG: *The 2018 Canon is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Maybe more so. Vertical and explosive in the glass, Canon sizzles with tension and vibrancy. Readers will find a majestic, soaring Grand Cru Classé that captures all the magic of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau. Canon exudes mind-blowing precision and deliciousness. It is another magnificent effort from Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and his team.* - 03/2021

*Barrel Sample. This is an elegant, structured wine that is sculpted by rich fruit. Its bright acidity and great fruitiness are as important as the powerful structure. It obviously will age well and for many years.* (95-97/100)

Vinous.com – 96 pts – NM: *The palate delivers multilayered black cherry and blueberry fruit, wrapped up in supple tannins and such a cashmere texture that it feels deceptively approachable when in truth, it has the substance and persistence to merit long-term aging. I wagered that it is the best Canon since the watershed 2015. Don’t expect me to alter that view.* - 01/2021

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 99 pts – JL: *Wow, that's what I am talking about! Flowers and crushed rocks galore, with layers of sweet, perfectly ripe, cherries and plums that offers incredible purity. Elegant, silky and sexy, with a seamless finish gracefully coating your palate with endless layers of sensuously textured ripe fruits and cashmere tannins. This is effortless to drink. This will give the triple digit 2015 a run for the money when it matures. The wine blends 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, 14% ABV.* - 03/2021