Chateau Canon 2015

JAMES SUCKLING: "Seductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Truffle, flowers, smoke, licorice, wet earth, dark plums and black cherry aromas reach your nose as soon as the wine hits the glass. Full bodied, sensuous and silky, the wine is deeply concentrated and also effortless to drink. The finish lingers for close to 60 seconds. This is a future legend in the making."

JEB DUNNUCK: "One of the wines of the vintage is the 2015 Château Canon which is 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. It offers a perfect example of the old saying “iron fist in a velvet glove” and boasts gorgeous notes of black cherries, framboise, spring flowers and exotic spices. All these lead to a full-bodied, ultra-pure, seamless 2015 that marries incredible richness and depth with a sense of purity, elegance, and weightlessness that needs to be tasted to believed. This multi-dimensional, seamless 2015 needs forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for three decades or more. Bravo!"

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte. Vielschichtiges Bouquet, zeigt viel schwarzbeerige Frucht und ist mit ganz feinen Kräuternoten durchsetzt. Im Gaumen dicht, feinfleischige Textur, liefert eine fordernde Adstringenz, die aber mit reifen Tanninen bestückt ist; mit Cassis, Lakritze und Tabakspuren ein sehr nachhaltiges Finale. Ein grosser Canon, so gross wie sein eigener 2009er, aber dann doch viel klassischer. Sehr langes Leben."

DECANTER: "Château Canon has, for decades, been a household name among the St-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé. This vintage was a watershed moment in the transformation of the estate, which now vies for wine of the vintage year after year. To find it top in this extensive blind tasting was proof of its relatively new stature. Blend of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc with malolactic conducted one third in new barrels and two-thirds in stainless steel vats. Gareth Birchley: A beautiful nose. Coconutty oak. Elegant, with lovely concentration, a wonderful texture and fine tannins. This is great, with years to burn. Vincenzo Arnese: Good freshness and richness. Elegant, with good ripeness, well-handled tannins and integrated oak. Stylish. Arthur Coggill: Very forward but has depth. Bright red fruit, some kirsh and rose tea. Supple and generous. Oodles of juicy fruit on the mid-palate. Straightforward, not trying too hard, and delicious because of it."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This estate, now performing on top form, has produced a rich, dense wine. Swathes of black fruits underline the generous structure and intensity. At first taste, the tannins are soft but that turns out to be an illusion. The tannins are just richly cushioned within the beautiful fruit. Drink from 2024."

WINE SPECTATOR: "A plush, inviting style, with warmed fig and plum sauce notes taking the lead, picking up swaths of cocoa, tobacco and roasted alder along the way. Features plenty of pumping bass, but if you pay attention, there's a laser of chalky minerality driving the finish. When the baby flesh drops away, this will sail in the cellar for some time. Best from 2022 through 2045."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Composed of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, the 2015 Canon is boldly fruited with blackberry preserves, black cherry compote, fruitcake, mocha and plum preserves with suggestions of Indian spices, licorice and black olives. Full-bodied and packed with ripe, rich dried berries and exotic spice layers, it has a firm, slightly chewy structure and just enough freshness (the pH is 3.78), finishing long and savory. Give it another 2-3 years of cellaring to soften its edges and allow its flavor spectrum to fully emerge, and drink it over the next 20 to 25+ years."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet in color, the 2015 Canon needs a bit of coaxing to bring out fragrant notes of kirsch, baked plums, and boysenberry preserves followed by hints of garrigue, star anise, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate offers great tension and firm chewy tannins to counter the opulent black fruit, finishing with great length."

FALSTAFF: "X0, mineralisch unterlegt, schwarze Frucht, ein Hauch von Nougat und Feigen, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, frisch strukturiert, gut integrierte Tannine, schokoladiger Touch im Abgang, feine Gewürznuancen, komplex und vielversprechend."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "This estate, now performing on top form, has produced a rich, dense wine. Swathes of black fruits underline the generous structure and intensity. At first taste, the tannins are soft but that turns out to be an illusion. The tannins are just richly cushioned within the beautiful fruit. Drink from 2024."