In Bond Fine Wine. 2021 Château Canon, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, France. Premier Grand Cru Classé B • Red Bordeaux in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 97/100 (AG). Drinking window: 2027–2061. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Chateau Canon is a leading estate in Saint Emilion, admired for its precision, elegance, and steady rise in quality over the past two decades. Located on the limestone plateau just outside the town walls, the Canon is a great terroir of deep clay over limestone, which imparts freshness, minerality, and structure to the wines. The 34-hectare vineyard is planted predominantly to Merlot (around 70%), with the remainder Cabernet Franc. Under the ownership of Chanel since 1996, and with the leadership of Nicolas Audebert since 2014, Canon has undergone a quiet transformation, focusing on meticulous vineyard work, plot-by-plot vinification, and subtle winemaking. The result has been a consistent run of high-quality vintages that have drawn comparisons with the very top of the appellation. Often one of the earliest properties to begin harvesting, Canon is noted for its graceful, pure-fruited style, with fine tannins and a limestone-driven lift that gives the wines both approachability and excellent ageing potential. Its reputation has soared in recent years, with strong demand from collectors and drinkers alike, Canon is also widely regarded as offering some of the best value for money among Saint Emilion’s top tier.
William Kelley (WK) — 94–96/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 29/04/2022
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 classie…
William Kelley (WK) — 99–100/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 28/04/2023
From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge lev…
Antonio Galloni (AG) — 97/100 · Vinous, 27/02/2024 · Drink 2031-2061
The 2021 Canon shows just how magical this site is. Vertical and explosive in feel, with tons of pure power, it impresses with its intensity, drive and super-classic profile. Bright saline notes and vibrant tannins give the 2021 a feeling of energy that only gains momentum with time in the glass. It's not an easy Canon, like the 2015 or 2018, but it is incredibly expressive. It is the sort of win…