Château Canon 2017

A subtle savory note leads the way, backed by ample cassis, plum and black cherry fruit aromas and flavors. Tobacco and dark earth details fill in on the finish, which shows solid cut and drive. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.

Canon remains pretty austere at this stage with the Cabernet Franc dominating. It's not as immediately seductive as some years, but you can feel the bedding down of the tannins, restraining the elegance and floral minerality but not hiding it completely. Sit with it in the glass and you start to feel a wine that rises above the vintage. This is one of the very few where you feel that in 10 years’ time it will clearly be better than it is today; most do not have that grace and confidence. I love the juicy finish here. 50% new oak.

Extremely perfumed with blackcurrants, flowers, gunmetal, gunpowder and blackberries. Full-bodied, tight and reserved. The tannins are so tightly knit and just run through the center. Needs at least three or four years to open. A blend of 77% merlot and 23% cabernet franc. Better after 2023.

77% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Pale to mid crimson with an evolving rim. Neat, appetising. Very nicely put together. Dry finish. No underripeness. Just a lovely, early-maturing claret. Bravo! One of the best 2017s? (JR)

The 2017 Canon was bottled on 15 May 2019. It needs time to settle in the glass, the oak rather vocal at this early stage and overshadowing the blackberry and briary aromas. It only takes a couple of minutes for this Saint-Émilion to settle and reveal more limestone-infused fruit that really shows its terroir. The palate is very well defined with crunchy black fruit. I appreciate the chalky texture and freshness of this Canon, almost brittle, with blackberry and brine-like notes on the finish. While not up there with the superlative 2016, the follow-up is still very fine. Note that over multiple tastings this Canon improved between September and December.

Juicy, sweet, fresh and stony, the lively, ripe red berries taste as if they were crushed and drizzled over rocks and stones. Add in some licorice, a touch of smoke, silky tannins and an assortment of plums, and, well, you get the idea. Lay this down for about a decade before pulling a cork.

Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening, ripe black cherry fruit, a hint of plums and nougat, candied orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fresh cherries, fine, integrated tannins, medium length, freshly structured, mineral finish, accessible style, remains somewhat short.

Showing spectacularly, the 2017 Chateau Canon checks in as a final blend of 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc that’s from one of the most exceptional terroirs in the appellation. Hitting 14% alcohol (the pH is 3.66), it reveals a ruby/purple hue as well as gorgeously sweet raspberries and cassis-like fruit interwoven with notes of spring flowers, rose petal, white chocolate, and spice. While it doesn’t have the massive opulence of the 2015 and 2016, it’s more classically styled as well flawlessly balanced, with a terrific sense of minerality, ultra-fine tannins, and a brilliant finish. Give bottles 5-7 years in the cellar, and it will evolve gracefully for 30-40 years. Hats off to Nicolas Audebert as well as the team of Thomas Duclos for one of the wines of the vintage!

Kunz barrel sample 18: (77% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 42 hl/ha, 14% alc. vol.) Silky, fruity, sweet, Burgundy-style bouquet of strawberries, mint, chocolate, cedar. Balanced, silky, fresh, airy palate with delicate fruit, intense aromatics, fine-boned structure, refined tannins, long, fresh finish.

(77% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 42 hl/ha, 14% alc./vol.) Silky, fruity, sweet, Burgundy-style bouquet of strawberry, mint, chocolate, and cedar. Balanced, silky, fresh, and fragrant palate with delicate fruit, intense aromatics, fine structure, refined tannins, and a long, fresh finish. 18/20 2024 - 2042

Cabernet Franc dominant, with raspberry leaf, blueberries, wild strawberry, rosemary and sage, with a touch of rhubarb and salted caramel on the finish. This has real energy; it’s light of touch, deft and enjoyable. No need to wait to drink this, although there’s no rush either. 56% new oak. No frost here on the Saint-Émilion plateau compared to many in the appellation, so fewer issues with ripening, although there was still rain in September, giving a lighter-framed vintage than the ones on either side. 42 hl/ha yield, 56% new oak, harvest from September 4 to 27. pH 3.66.

Deep garnet in color, the 2017 Canon sashays out with gorgeous notes of rose oil, lilacs, and black raspberries followed by hints of wild blueberries, Indian spices, and fragrant soil. The medium to full-bodied palate offers intense black and red fruit layers laced with floral and mineral notes and framed by plush tannins, finishing long, lively, and perfumed. This is beautiful!

This sensitive 2017, well built on intense, powerful fruit, is made from all the grapes, with frost having left the blend untouched. Canon, spared from frost, stands out with a structure that rises vertically and offers a slender, elongated tannin over fresh fruit.

Sappy, gourmand, fruity, elegant, racy wine, with rounded, well-integrated tannins and a lovely acidic structure.

Such finesse and complexity on Canon’s nose! Between black berries, tea leaves, and spices, diversity reaches its peak. Precise, intense attack, marked by fruit and liveliness. Canon has a refined tension that ensures freshness and energy, while the tannins reveal themselves very slowly on the finish. They gain in breadth with each passing second and have what it takes to carry this wine over time. So much freshness, fruit, and persistence. A great success.

Dark color with good intensity. Highly aromatic nose with lovely black fruit. Airy on the attack, juicy mid-palate, very flavorful, moving forward with noble completeness, with plenty of flavor and fine tannins. Very beautiful, refined aromatic presence on the finish.