Merlot 72% and Cabernet Franc 28%
Château Canon is a Premier Grand Cru Classé château in Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux. It owns pockets of vineyards close to Saint-Émilion town, with a large core parcel right on the very edge. This parcel is almost completely walled in and is traditionally hand-harvested and ploughed by horses. It is planted entirely with Merlot. This is regularly used in the Château Canon grand vin, along with a smaller proportion of Cabernet Franc from the estate’s various other vineyards.
Deep purple-black in color, it comes sashaying out of the glass with glamorous notes of cinnamon stick, baked blackberries, black cherry compote and licorice plus an undercurrent of plum preserves and smoked meats and, with coaxing, reveals a lovely floral signature of candied violets and red roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully soft-spoken, whispering of fragrant floral and earthy scents beneath a core of profound, mouth-coating black and blue fruits, draped in a high level of super ripe, plush tannins, finishing with amazing freshness and perfume with loads of mineral sparks emerging.
ROBERT PARKER – 99POINTS