Château Canon 2023

A nose to dive into: deep, noble, defined by dark fruit, complemented by floral notes, eucalyptus and chalky minerality. Razor‑sharp on the palate, immensely powerful yet highly elegant, lots of tension and concentration, perfect tannins, and a wonderfully long finish. Once again, a grand cannon, built for a small eternity.

Ripe and juicy, this is quite ripe for Canon with plenty of flesh and substance to the wine. I love the juiciness and succulence, this really is hands off in terms of tannins and oak which is great, letting the fruit shine through. Still feels young and a little compact but there’s star power here for sure. Great acidity, just lingers with a sherbet strawberry and cranberry tang that I love. Feels elegant and totally in control. This brings a smile to your face.

71% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc.Deep crimson. Lightly spicy and fragrant, almost floral, bright with red fruits. Layers of the finest tannins, like tissue paper. Beautifully fresh, lithe, mouth-watering and long. (JH)

Rich, opulent, heady, and hedonistically-styled wine, the nose kicks off with its showy display of black cherries, black raspberries, violets, roses, lilacs, licorice, mint, tobacco, and an array of spices. The palate is geared for pleasure, with multiple layers of richly textured, flamboyant dark, mildly-smoked red fruits, paired with the essence of minerality and a touch of forest greenery. This is the perfect backdrop for the wine's layers of salt-tinged fruits that linger, build, and expand, allowing you to experience a wine with a beautiful sense of purity and no hard edges. The wine blends 71% Merlot with 29% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029- 2060.

Finesse and saline limestone character are on full display, spiced plum, as textural as ever, with finely boned architecture, in the line of great Canon vintages, with density to the black fruits and a mouthwateringly precise tannic grip and oyster shell salinity. 50% new oak for ageing, harvest from September 6 through to October 4 (with Merlot running right through to the end; unlike many places, they really waited here). 45 hl/ha yield, in organic conversion. Tasted twice.

Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Fine, attractive old-wood notes, dark cherry fruit, hints of blackberry, a touch of nougat, candied orange zest. Juicy on the palate, complex, elegant and harmonious, hints of clove, ripe, round tannins, pronounced fruit on the finish, balanced and persistent, great finesse—a fine food wine with some ageing potential.

Bright, juicy damson plum and cherry compote notes lead the way, with flashes of rose hip and lightly singed vanilla. Subtle, tensile, chalky minerality skirts underneath, adding latent length. An understated style. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2037. 6,700 cases made, 725 cases imported.

Dark, intense, beautiful color. Very aromatic nose—fine and subtle—with hints of black fruit over a slightly damp limestone backdrop. A touch of vanilla emerges with a swirl of the glass. Ultra-precise texture from the very first sip. A graceful feel, yet the wine unfolds with great energy, rich, fresh and complex on the palate. It grows even further on the finish, showing noble attributes with a long, deep, savory persistence. Incredible, and worthy of a higher classification!

The 2023 Canon has turned out brilliantly, unfurling aromas of cassis, mulberries, rose petals, raspberries and violets. Medium- to full-bodied, it is layered and finely textured, built around a seamless, deep core of fruit framed by powdery, velvety tannins and concludes with a long, chalk-inflected, crystalline finish. Highly expressive of its terroir through its powdery tannins and limestone-driven finish, it is also very much of its vintage, combining vibrant acidity with an unusually approachable profile. This is a blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc, all matured in 50% new oak.