Canon - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016

Vinous

93

par Neal Martin le 09/08/2024

The 2016 Canon has a clean and fresh nose. The fruit profile is a mixture of red and black with just a hint of black truffle and licorice (the latter a trait that I had not picked up before). The palate is medium-bodied with finer tannins than the bottle four years ago, has a little more assertiveness and grip in situ, and is perhaps firmer and prepared for long-term maturation. It's precise on the finish. I would give this another few years in bottle. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York.

Vinous

95

par Neal Martin le 13/08/2020

The 2016 Canon offers red fruit on the nose, very detailed, along with scents of wilted rose petal, truffle and brown spices. I admire how understated this is initially, then stepping up through the gears with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins, gentle grip and a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper toward the finish. It maybe just lacks the persistence of its peers at the moment, but I suspect it is just beginning to close down for a period. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 95+

Yvesbeck.wine

100

par Yves Beck le 20/03/2019

Pourpre moyen aux reflets violets. Savez-vous à quoi l'on peut reconnaître un grand vin ? À son aptitude à ne pas vouloir en jeter plein la vue dès le début… mais à adopter une attitude subtile, donc sans taper du poing sur la table ou en parlant fort. C'est exactement ce que le bouquet de Canon arrive à faire. Il n'est pas là pour faire un show, mais juste pour démontrer qu'il fait partie des plus grandes réussites de 2016. Quelle complexité, quelle subtilité et quelle précision. La mise en bouche est compacte, fine et puissante, tout en étant délicate… ! Cette logique se poursuit en bouche où l'ensemble des éléments remplissent à merveille leur rôle. La structure acide fournit de la race, du jus et de la fraîcheur, la douceur arrondit les angles tandis que les tannins affichent puissance et profondeur de manière majestueuse. Respect à toute l'équipe de Canon. 2024-2056 100/100

Jeb DUNNUCK

96

par Jeb Dunnuck le 01/03/2019

The 2016 Château Canon is another beautiful wine from this estate, made in a more streamlined, elegant style compared to the richer, sexier 2015. Checking in as a blend of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc all from a magical terroir situated on the upper plateau just outside of the village of Saint-Emilion, it saw a small percentage of the blend go through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the wine spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, with the balance in once-used. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, white truffle, and crushed rock nuances all come soaring from the glass and it has notable intensity as well as complexity. Medium to full-bodied, with vibrant acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a straight, silky texture, I don’t think it matches the 2015 on concentration, but it’s perfectly balanced and has a texture to die for. It needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age (or more) and it’s going to be long-lived. Tasted three times.

Wine Spectator

95

par James Molesworth le 05/02/2019

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. Much less reliant on toast than most of its peers. Best from 2022 through 2037. 6,667 cases made.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

97

par James Suckling le 04/02/2019

Complex aromas of blackberries, iodine, oyster shell and wet earth. Ever so perfumed. Full-bodied, yet reserved and tight with very silky tannins that are energized and minerally. Takes off at the end. The freshness lifts it. Try after 2024.

Vinous

97

par Neal Martin le 24/01/2019

The 2016 Canon has the unenviable task of following the astonishing 2015, and it does a damn good job, even if it doesn’t reach the same ethereal heights. There is a pleasing strictness and poise on the nose; this is less immediate than the 2015, yet intellectual, a Canon that expresses its terroir rather than tons of fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a smooth texture and a slightly savory but persistent finish, which feels a little plusher than the 2015, implying that this might drink a little earlier. But there is unquestionably immense breeding locked into this rejuvenated Saint-Émilion, which is now firmly ensconced among the top-flight Right Banks.

Vinous

94

par Antonio Galloni le 21/01/2019

The 2016 Canon is soft, open-knit and caressing, with lovely depth to match its mid-weight personality. Sweet tobacco, mint, dried flowers and blood orange add freshness to a core of sweet red cherry fruit. A wine of subtlety and class, the 2016 has quite to say, but speaks in hushed tones. The 2016 is bright and focused. It will also need a number of years to come together, as it is quite reticent today. In some tastings, Canon has been a bit austere, while in other moments it has been a bit juicier and forwar But what I have not seen in any of my three tastings so far is that extra dimension of energy that lifts the finest vintages into the realm of the truly exciting.

Wine Advocate

98

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 30/11/2018

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!

Decanter.com

97

par Jane Anson le 01/11/2018