Wine Advisor
Canon 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
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.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The deep purple-black colored 2017 Canon offers-up intense notes of crushed blackberries, black cherries and warm cassis with touches of fertile loam, yeast extract, beef drippings and iron ore plus a waft of garrigue. Medium to full-bodied with great freshness and firm, rounded tannins, it's very earthy in the mouth, finishing long and mineral-laced. A very serious wine, it is also fun, bright and vivacious and should age impressively.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Nicolas Audebert and his team have done it again. The 2017 Canon is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and vertical in construction, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts richness and intensity in all of its dimensions. In the glass, the 2017 is sumptuous and layered, with superb detail and tons of sheer pedigree. In 20 years, readers will have a fabulous time tasting the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 together and debating their respective merits. Dark plum fruit, striking Franc aromatics and the clean, focused energy of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau make for a ravishing, exquisite wine of the highest level. In a word: breathtaking.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
A rich, explosive wine, the 2017 Canon exudes class from the very first taste. Huge aromatics resonate through to the palate, where the wine is deep, fleshy and beautifully layered. Effortless and gracious, Canon is a wine of real pedigree. I don't think the 2017 will reach the dizzying heights of the 2015 or 2016, but it will be interesting to see how close it gets.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Canon was bottled on 15 May, 2019. This needs time to settle in the glass, the oak rather vocal at this early stage and overshadowing the blackberry and briary aromas. It only takes a couple of minutes for this Saint-Émilion to settle and reveal more limestone-infused fruit that really shows its terroir. The palate is very well defined with crunchy black fruit. I appreciate the chalky texture and freshness of this Canon, almost brittle, with blackberry and brine-like notes on the finish. Whilst not up there with the superlative 2016, the follow-up is still very fine. Note that over multiple tasting this Canon improved between September and December.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Canon was picked 4 to 21 September and 22 to 27 September for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc at 42hl/ha and matured in 56% new oak. There is 14.0° alcohol this year and the pH comes in at 3.66. This takes a little time to open, eventually revealing blackberry, briary, crushed stone and light iris scents. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and good backbone. Strangely, it reminds me a little of modern-day Figeac, that Cabernet component smaller here but very expressive with touches of graphite and flint towards the linear but beguilingly fresh finish. I like the manner in which the limestone shines through the wine here, something noticeable in recent vintages. Whilst not the sensational 2015 or 2016, it is a damn fine Saint-Émilion that will settle at the top of my banded score.
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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