2021 Chateau Canon - St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe

Decanter.com – 96 pts – GH: *Dark chocolate, perfume, violets, wild flowers and bramble berries on the nose, so much going on aromatically. Lovely succulence straight away, the bright acidity giving a mouthwatering effect and really delivering in terms of vibrant and lively fruit forwardness but with these lovely edges of graphite, slate, bitter chocolate, cream and salinity. So elegant and so refined as well as super stylish. I also love the cooling menthol Cabernet aspects you get all the way through and on the long finish. This has real class, but also an effortless quality to it that is so remarkable. One of the most memorable wines of the vintage! 3.37pH. Both Canon, Rauzan-Segla and Berliquet are excellent achievements this year.* - 04/2022

Falstaff Magazin – 94 pts – PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine rote Waldbeerenfrucht, florale Nuancen, ein Hauch von Preiselbeeren, zarte Edelholznuancen, einladender Duft. Saftig, frisch strukturiert, feine Tannine, finessenreich und gut anhaftend, zarte Fruchtsüße im Abgang, ein lebendiger Speisenbegleiter, insgesamt harmonisch und sehr appetitlich.* - 05/2022

Vinum Magazin – 18/20pts: *Delikate, perfekt abgestimmte Ausbauwürze, Johannisbeere; hoher Fruchtausdruck auch im Mund, ungemein saftige Entwicklung, grosse, sehnige Länge, seidiges Tannin; besonders stimmiger, echt schmackhafter Wein.*

WeinWisser – 18,5/20pts – GL, TW: *71 % Merlot, 29 % Cabernet Franc, 13.5 Vol.-%. Subtiles Bouquet, rote Kirsche, frischgepflückte Johannisbeere, Sandelholz, Kardamom und verführerischer Iris-Duft. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, salzigem Extrakt, magischer Balance, engmaschigem Tanningerüst und perfekt geformtem Körper. Im energiegeladenen Finale Schattenmorellen-Nektar (frz. Griotte), dunkles Graphit, Koriander und erhabene Adstringenz.* – 04/2022

JancisRobinson.com – 17/20pts – JL: *71% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Reserved at present. Floral notes as the wine opens. Texturally very elegant, the tannins extremely polished and fine. Compact, concise. Less wow this year but clean and refreshing and enough fruit for ageing.* - 04/2022

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – AG: *Dramatic, rich and imposing, the 2021 Canon is shaping up tob e one oft he wines oft he vintage. Sculpted red purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, sage and crushed rocks all race out of the glass. A heady, vertical wine, Canon is endowed with tremendous concentration and class. The aromatics alone are beguiling, but it ist he wine’s balance that impresses most. Tasted three tiimes. This is such an elegant and regal wine.* - 04/2022

Vinous.com – (92-94) pts – NM: *The 2021 Canon was picked from September 16 to October 6 and matured in 50% new oak for a planned 16-18 months. Around 70% oft he vineyard produced the normal yield, which underwent a 50% deselection, yet it still yielded 40hL/ha because the vines did not suffer stress. After mildew, any bunches that showed damage on the stems were removed. Nioclas Audebert told me that there was no concentration or saignée, just a little chaptalization (around 0,5-1,0% depending on the tank). This has quite a concentrated bouquet of opulent dark cherries, blueberry, violet and just a hint of camphor. The palate is medium-bodied and pliant, with gentle grip, saturated tannins and a judicious touch of spice toward the compact finish. While recent top-flight vintages may well eclipse Canon, it still stands as a fine addition tot he recent roster.* - 04/2022

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (94-96) pts – JL: * The nose stands out with its nuances of flowers, crushed stones, spearmint, cigar wrapper, red plums, fresh cherries, herbs, and a touch of fennel. The wine is all about its freshness, purity, energy and elegant nature, finishing with silky tannins with their trademark touch of salt, mint leaf, and sweet, vibrant red berries. The wine blends 71% Merlot with 29% Cabernet Franc, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 16 - October 6. Drink from 2026-2055.* - 05/2022