Château Canon, 1er Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion, 2010
Chanel owned Chateau Canon is back to its very best. Situated on the limestone vineyards to the west of St Emilion town, the 2009 was magnificent, the 2010 could be better. Bright crimson fruit, succulent plums, cherries and high toned mineral notes leap from the glass. On the palate there is super intensity, sweet creamy fruit, concentrated and very stylish with long noble flavours. Impressive, silky, ripe and measured; this has the delicious factor!
critic reviews
High alcohol but this takes it in its stride. A tiny trace of heat offset by delicious juice running underneath, and plenty of spiced plum and blackberry fruits, edges of pomegranate and slate. Good quality, a great Canon if with a touch less precision than you will find in recent years - but these are wines that stand the test of time, and that will offer endless opportunities for joy.
The 2010 Canon is deep garnet in color. Still a bit closed on the nose, it needs a lot of swirling to unlock notions of fruitcake, stewed black cherries, and dried mulberries leading to hints of charcoal, truffle, crushed rocks, and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is a behemoth of rich, dense, black fruit preserves flavors, supported by firm, rounded tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and ever so spicy. It needs time!
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.