Appellations

Canon 2016

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B

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Tasting Notes

The 2016 Canon offers red fruit on the nose, very detailed, along with scents of wilted rose petal, truffle and brown spices. I admire how understated this is initially, then stepping up through the gears with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, gentle grip and a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper toward the finish. It maybe just lacks the persistence of its peers at the moment, but I suspect it is just beginning to close down for a period.

Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2050 Date: 01 August 2020

The 2016 Canon has the unenviable task of following the astonishing 2015, and it does a damn good job, even if it doesn’t reach the same ethereal heights. There is a pleasing strictness and poise on the nose; this is less immediate than the 2015, yet intellectual, a Canon that expresses its terroir rather than tons of fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a smooth texture and a slightly savory but persistent finish, which feels a little plusher than the 2015, implying that this might drink a little earlier. But there is unquestionably immense breeding locked into this rejuvenated Saint-Émilion, which is now firmly ensconced among the top-flight Right Banks.

Score: 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2050 Date: 01 January 2019

with lovely depth to match its mid-weight personality. Sweet tobacco, mint, dried flowers and blood orange add freshness to a core of sweet red cherry fruit. A wine of subtlety and class, the 2016 has quite a bit to say, but speaks in hushed tones. The 2016 is bright and focused. It will also need a number of years to come together, as it is quite reticent today. In some tastings, Canon has been a bit austere, while in other moments it has been a bit juicier and forward. But what I have not seen in any of my three tastings so far is that extra dimension of energy that lifts the finest vintages into the realm of the truly exciting.

Score: 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2056 Date: 01 January 2019

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!

Score: 98 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022-2055 Date: 30 November 2018

This vintage delivers a beautiful, classic style of Canon that is right at the top of what St-Émilion can offer. Compact and dense without being hard, it is finely structured both in terms of the texture of the cassis and blackberry fruits and in the shape of the tannins. It demonstrates a clear minerality and a feather-brushing of violet notes. This is less obviously sexy than 2015, but is a wine that offers a masterclass in what limestone terroir can convey - salinity, succulence, hints of austerity and reserves of power. I retasted it a few times, and the main take away of what to expect is layers of flavour and huge persistency. The details of how they worked the vintage are an added bonus to understanding how they achieved this result. When it started getting hot and dry, they left all green cover on the vines, and did no green harvesting except tidying up in September. The result was loading the vines to avoid over-concentration. 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, with the final blend aged in 70% new oak. 3.6pH.

Score: 98 Decanter, - Maturity: 2027-2050 Date: 21 April 2017