Château Canon, 1er Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion, 2011

The team of John Kolasa, Stephane Bonnasse and Gilles Pauquet are doing a fine job at Chateau Canon. This along with Rauzan Segla is the jewel in the Chanel wine portfolio and they are elevating the reputation of this fine terroir on the clay-limestone plateau back to where it ought to be. Planted with 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, this south-south-westerly exposure is capable of producing truly exceptional wines. The philosophy here is not to extract too hard and they use only 50% new oak barrels, so the fruit tends to transcend any vanilla and new oak aromas. This sample, tasted at Ulysse Cazabonne displayed a delicately perfumed bouquet, a wonderful and powerful mid palate of polished fruit, with great texture, well crafted tannins and bright acidity. Deliciously moreish.