Blackberries, blueberries and dark chocolate with bark, mushrooms and chalk. Lavender, too. Full-bodied with firm tannins that are polished and velvety. White pepper, gesso and crushed stone. It’s full-bodied and layered with tightness and focus and a long finish. It’s solid and stalwart, as usual. Reminds me of the very special 1955. JS
Deep garnet-purple in color, it tumbles effortlessly out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of candied violets, preserved plums, black cherry compote and Ceylon tea with hints of kirsch, powdered cinnamon, chocolate box and fertile loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with juicy black fruit layers, supported by plush, oh-so-soft tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing long and fragrant. RP
$ 1,280
Canon St Emilion 1er GCC 2013
The 2013 Canon has a light, crisp cedar and graphite tinged nose, perhaps Left Bank in style, muted at first but gently unfolding. It never lets go completely and you end up trying to eke out more by swirling your glass (to no avail!). The palate is well balanced with fleshy ripe fruit on the entry, structured but clipped and short on the finish, as if to say, "that's enough." It is a well made Canon, even if former winemaker John Kolasa oversaw many greater vintages of Château Canon during his tenure. RP
$ 948
Chateau Canon St Emilion 1er GCC 2016
RP
98₊
WS
95
JS
97
This delivers a pretty serious ball of fruit, with a mix of raspberry, blueberry and black currant flavors providing range, while sweet tobacco notes and chalky minerality impart texture and detail. There's a fresh savory echo on the finish. WS
$ 1,680
Chateau Canon St Emilion 1er GCC 2017
RP
96₊
WS
94
JS
94-95
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Canon bursts from the glass with expressive notions of baked black cherries, kirsch, plum preserves and black raspberries plus hints of red roses, Ceylon tea, black olives and fertile loam. Medium-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant and refined, with a soft, finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend is 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc and it was aged for 18 months in French oak, 50% new. RP