Chateau Canon 2022

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark in color, the wine kicks open the door with its floral bouquet. From there, you find in the perfume, crushed stone, red fruits, licorice, spice, and wild cherries. On the palate, the wine is perfectly balanced between elegance and finesse on one side, and silky, fresh, sexiness and sensuality on the other side. The fruit shows a remarkable sense of purity. There are no hard edges. The finish is seamless. This is the best vintage since 2015. And in time, it could even be better! Drink from 2027-2060."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Endless on the palate with plenty of umami character. So Canon in its nature with plenty of fruit and fine tannins, yet almost weightless. The structure is all there. Electric. Long, long, long. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Tasted on three separate occasions (and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine on one of those), the 2022 Château Canon is an incredible wine in the making, and it might be the finest in the series starting in 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc harvested between August 30 and September 22, it comes from yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare and hit 14.5% alcohol. The élevage will run 16-18 months in just 30% new French oak. As classy as they come, it has a beautiful perfume of red and blue fruits as well as notes of white flowers, truffly earth, woodsmoke, and forest floor. With incredible density, a multi-layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and integrated acidity, this incredible Canon will evolve for 30-40 years. I finished my rough note on this with "Pure class.""

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „The 2022 Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc with a yield of 45 hl/ha, planned to be aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it requires a lot of patient swirling to release scents of fresh blackberries, raspberry preserves, and Morello cherries, giving way to emerging scents of rose oil, cumin seed, crushed rocks, and underbrush, plus a fragrant waft of candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and tightly wound with firm, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. pH 3.50."

WEINWISSER: "59 % Cabernet Franc, 41 % Merlot, pH 3.5, 45 hl/ha, 14.5 Vol.-%. 90 % der Weinberge liegen auf dem Plateau von St.-Émilion. Delikates feinsinniges Parfüm, frisch gepflückte Walderdbeeren, roter Johannisbeernektar, Preiselbeermus, betörendes Irisparfüm und Cassisblüten. Am royalen Gaumen mit einer Textur wie Samt und Seide, berauschender Extraktfülle, bleibt dabei straff und geradlinig, engmaschiges Tanninkorsett und ein perfekt definierter Körper. Im katapultartigen, nicht enden wollenden Finale rote und blaue Beeren, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und erhabene Adstringenz. Dieser Wein gehört dieses Jahr zu den besten Weinen der Appellation: Bravo Nicolas Audebert! 2030 – 2060."

DECANTER: "A superb Canon in 2022. Supple, shiny, oh so charming, gorgeously sleek and well textured like pure silk but with density to the tannins that grips and coats the mouth, plus you know there's such power and concentration underneath in the waves of liquorice, stones, blackcurrant fruit. Extremely polished and charming. Vibrant, energetic, tense, and straight. It's not plush, more direct, but this wine thrills. Seamless and effortless, bright and energetic but with such a calm control and confidence. A stunning wine more for what it doesn't say than what it does in 2022. A yield of 45hl/ha. pH 3.5. 18 months ageing with 50% new oak. Harvest 30 August - 22 September."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife rote Kirschen, Nugat und Lakritze, feines Edelholz, etwas Cassis, sehr einladendes Bukett. Komplex, reife Herzkirschen, feine Süße, integrierte, tragende Tannine, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, zeigt große Länge, gute Frische, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "This lovely wine really goes to the limit of unexpected freshness in 2022! Subtle and limpid and dangerously approachable. The lively calcaire note is very obvious. Clean and pure. Lots buried in there. Health juice/mouthwash. More lifted than the Rauzan-Ségla and less concentrated."