Wine Advisor
Canon 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Canon 2010 has a very open and generous bouquet with lively raspberry and wild strawberry fruit mixed with sous-bois and truffle. The palate has a touch of piquancy on the entry, slightly shrill acidity but plenty of energy and tension on the finish. Perhaps this Saint Emilion may be beginning to shut down, but it should reward those with both a cellar and patience. Tasted January 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Along with the brilliant 2009, the 2010 Canon appears to be the finest wine made at this estate since the 1982. Aficionados of this 50-acre vineyard situated on the top of the St.-Emilion plateau will have fun comparing the 2009 and 2010 over the next 30 years. Composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc that hit 15% natural alcohol (a record here), the 2010 offers up perfumed notes of spring flowers, crushed chalk, black currants, black cherries, earth, forest floor and oak. Full-bodied as well as elegant and precise, this brilliant effort needs 5-8 years of cellaring and should drink well for three decades or more.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau, the Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc including 10% vin de presse, representing 70% of the crop. It was picked between 23th September and 6th October. It has a dark ruby colour. The nose is fairly high toned and primal with pomegranate, redcurrant and blueberry: a bouquet that is relatively "glossy" for Canon. The palate is very smooth on the entry; plush and rounded, lower acidity than I was expecting with rounded, very sweet creme de cassis, blueberry and plum on the svelte finish. I would like to see a little more backbone and dryness on the finish, a little too generous at this stage. Re-tasting the 2009, I find a little more tension and edginess on the previous offering. Drink 2013- Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Canon 2010 has a reticent nose despite rigorous coaxing. Yet there is certainly good definition and plenty of sharp red brambly fruits within. The palate is much more expressive. It is supremely well balanced with lovely ripe espresso-tinged black fruit and a compelling sense of harmony and focus. The finish is crisp, beautifully defined with a spicy note lingering on the aftertaste. This has great potential – but it will need time. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Château Canon vertical, the 2010 Canon has developed a certain opulence in the nose since I last tasted it. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, there is a surfeit of blackberry and blueberry fruit, a background scents of warm gravel and pressed flowers that emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent core of sweet mulberry and dark plum fruit, surprisingly saline in the mouth, very well balanced with the Cabernet Franc stealing the steering wheel from the Merlot on the finish that fans out beautifully. As I mentioned in my previous note, I feel that this will shut down for several years, but it will ultimately deliver an impressive Château Canon, albeit one with a rockin' 15% alcohol. Tasted October 2015.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An elegant, attractive blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, this wine tips the scales at 15% natural alcohol which, given the more elegant style sought at Canon, tells readers a lot about how powerful the 2010 vintage was across all the appellations of Bordeaux. Exhibiting plenty of raspberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit as well as some crushed rock/chalky minerality and a floral note, this very impressive Canon is backward, structured and precise. Give it 7-8 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades. Canon’s vineyard measures 50+ acres, and the wine is looked after by well-known consultant Gilles Pauquet.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Canon features wonderfully expressive notes of dried mulberries, stewed plums and baked black cherries with hints of mocha, bay leaves and fallen leaves. Full-bodied, opulent and super spicy, it has a plush texture with a racy line supporting the hedonic fruit, finishing with jaw-dropping persistence.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
((an 80/20 blend of merlot and cabernet franc; 3.6 pH; 75 IPT; 14.8% alcohol) Ruby-red. Floral aromas of strawberry, lead pencil and violet complemented by nuances of cola and white pepper. Then chewy but precise in the mouth, with youthful flavors of strawberry and raspberry jam complicated by kirsch and peppery spices. High but harmonious acidity keeps this wine light and lively on the long, smooth finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Canon has a curious bouquet that feels a little overripe compared to recent successes (of course, this predating the arrival of Nicolas Audebert.) Hints of prune and dates infuse the red and black fruit that slightly detract from the terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, but it is not an overly complex Canon with some attenuation towards the finish. Perhaps there are better bottles than this? Tasted at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Canon is a little disappointing on the nose in the context of a strong Right Bank flight. It feels a little loose-knit, lacks the same pixelation as its peers. It almost reminds me of a mature Chambolle-Musigny! The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly minty opening. Matters improve with fine structure, gentle grip and some lovely black truffle notes towards the finish. Perhaps there are better bottles out there? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good dark red. Expressive, complex aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, iron and flowers; showing its cabernet franc side today. Then juicy, minerally and tightly wound, displaying lovely delicacy and grip to its red fruit and floral flavors. Finishes gripping and taut, with talc-like chalky tannins and a light touch. Very gracefully made wine--and hardly a blockbuster. I may be underrating this.
About the Producer
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. More than 60 percent of Canon's vineyards are planted to Merlot. Most of the rest is Cabernet Franc, although a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon survived the cull in the late '90s. The grapes are blended carefully to get the most from each: Merlot brings smoothness, finesse and intense fruit aromas; while Cabernet Franc brings structure and extra ability to age. The Château also makes the Croix Canon wine from an 11-hectare (27-acre) vineyard that borders the Canon estate. Buyers should be aware of the high number of wines from the Right Bank whose names include the word "Canon". This includes two distinct wines named Château Canon from Canon-Fronsac, one of which has a very similar label to this more famous wine.
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