CHÂTEAU CANON

96-98 points

Neal Martin, Vinous

The 2022 Canon has a beautifully-defined bouquet with plumes of blackberry, raspberry, and subtle violet flower scents. The palate is very fresh on the entry, announcing a relatively linear Canon. The limestone terroir seeps into every pore of this Saint-Émilion. This is one of the more intellectual & saline Canon wines in recent years. A triumph in such a hot growing season, elevated by its limestone soils.

All the grace & power that the plateau of St Émilion can deliver, dealt out slowly & precisely, with juicy blueberry fruits, fresh mint and a mineral grip to the finish. A wine that has been transformed over the past decade by careful vineyard work and ever more precise attentions in the cellar, and that leads the way in the resurgence of terroir studies in Bordeaux. Canon is stunningly situated, with views over two church spires and dry-stone walls that lace the top of the plateau forming ribbons between the vines.

I must profess I profound bias for the wines of Château Canon which have consistently delighted me during en primeur tastings for years. It is rare that the very essence of an estate, from its winemaking philosophy to its dry-stone wall-lined terroirs translates into the wine itself, but Canon manages it time and again, with wines of incredible purity of fruit, minerality and structural elegance.

It will come as no surprise then when I gave Canon 2022 a potentially perfect 98-100 points (the Wine Advocate gave it 99-100 points) writing, "Stunningly beautiful perfume of rose petal, fresh mint, blood orange, strawberry compote, raspberry, pomegranate, blueberry and red cherry. It is so supple on the palate, with cashmere-soft tannins giving a velvety texture which belies the serious mineral structure. Acidity is exceptional and the finish is persistent, fruity & mouthwatering: Superb".