Château Canon, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 1986

Overview of the Wine
Château Canon is a property that has experienced a meteoric rise in quality.  The most recent vintage, the 2020, has been ranked as having 100 point potential.  The demand is off the charts for this wine, and many critics consider the grand vin from Château Canon to be the Right Bank wine of the vintage.  Since this estate was acquired by the Wertheimer family who made their fortunes as the owners of the famous luxury goods manufacturer, Chanel, the wine from this Saint-Émilion Premiere Grand Crus Classés Class B property has never been better.  Of all the producers on the Right Bank, Château Canon is definitely one of the ones to watch.

Château Canon has a very interesting history indeed.  The estate was initially a part of the Clos St. Martin vineyard in the 1700s.  Just 60 years later the estate was acquired by Jacques Kanon, a pirate who made his fortune plundering the high seas.  Jaques Kanon expanded the vineyard and ordered construction of the original château to be completed in 1767.  The property was then sold to Raymond Fontemoing, a Bordeaux négociant after being owned by Jaques Kanon for a decade.  The Fontemoing family owned a property in Fronsac named Château Canon, and they named the estate Château Canon in an effort to expand their brand presence. The estate changed hands multiple times until it was acquired by the Wertheimer family.  The Wertheimer family is no stranger to the wine industry, and it is an empirical fact that they have the magic touch. After acquiring Château Berliquet in Saint-Émilion, they turned that property into a rising star.  The Wertheimer family are also owners of the esteemed Second Growth Château, Rauzan Ségla, a property now considered to have, "Super Second," status.  After acquiring Château Canon,  they were willing to spare no expense in renovating the property, and they had their work cut out for them.

The vineyards were disease-ridden, and the limestone quarries and tunnels were very much on the brink of collapse.  In 2012 the estate had a very extensive renovation which was finished in 2015.  The team hired Nicolas Audebert of Cheval des Andes to oversee operations and he made the intelligent hiring decision to bring on Thomas Duclos as a consultant.  Since then, the 34-hectare property has had a dramatic rise in quality.  The limestone terroir is planted with a mixture of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Château Canon has excellent neighbors, with views of esteemed estates like Château Quintus and Château Angelus.  The majority of the vines are 30 years old, though there are some vines that date to the end of the 1930s. 

The wine of Château Canon is vinified in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. It is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.  Château Canon is a formidable expression of Right Bank terroir.  For those who love the mineral-laced wines of Saint-Émilion and their ripe flavors of dark berries – Château Canon is a very worthy purchase.  Yet with all that in mind, the wine demands time to age and reveal its subtle intricacies.  For those who are willing to wait, they will be rewarded with a truly stunning wine.

Grape / Blend
Merlot and Cabernet Franc

Origin
Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Château Canon is an iconic figure in its appellation, with a parcel in the very village of Saint-Emilion. The 34 hectares of vines grow on a layer of chalk-rich soil veined with clay, perfect for growing Merlot. The Cabernet Franc vines are grown in the better-exposed parcels in order to reach optimal maturity. The harvests are, of course, carried out by hand.
When it comes to vinification, each parcel is placed in a separate vat, with the help of gravity, in order to preserve the grape’s distinct identities. The wine is matured in French oak casks for 18-20 months depending on the vintage. What follows is ‘soutirage à l’esquive’, a fastidious racking process that involves separating the wine from its lees in a different way for each cask, without recourse to a pump.
The wine has a beautiful, dark colour. The nose possesses a remarkable finesse with notes of blackberry, blackcurrant, and a discrete, oaky undertone. On the palate, the tannins are round and elegant.
Château Canon can be aged for several decades. For pairing with food, go off the beaten track and try duck breast cooked in a blueberry sauce.

91 Points - Wine Spectator

90 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 Product size: 750ml