CHATEAU CANON 1er Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion 2016 Bottle

Description

The 2016 Château Canon has garnered exceptional acclaim, highlighted by 98+ points from The Wine Advocate for its stunning aromas of violets, red roses, and kirsch, alongside layers of black cherry preserves and exotic spices. Aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, this medium to deep garnet-purple wine offers a palate filled with expressive berry layers and fine-grained tannins. Decanter also awarded it 98 points, praising its freshness and fruit succulence, with a drinking window from 2028 to 2070. Wine Enthusiast echoed this with 98 points for its impressive weight and concentration. James Suckling and Vinous both rated it 97 points, commending its complexity, minerality, and elegance, solidifying its status as a premier Saint-Émilion wine.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 98+points
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Drink Date: 2022 - 2055
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 98 points
Tasted by: Panos Kakaviatos
(at Strasbourg, 26 Apr 2025)
Part of Limestone soul: Mapping the St-Emilion plateau
Drinking Window: 2028 - 2070
The sheer iodine freshness and gorgeous fruit succulence go hand in glove with a tannic frame that has softened since I had tried this vintage shortly after bottling. Spring flower aromas combine with ripe red and black fruit. Château Canon reflects the high-toned freshness of the limestone plateau, but with subtle, cool mid-palate blue-fruit juiciness leading to a long finish. Elegant and balanced, a young vintage that is developing well.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 98 points
This wine is impressive both from its structure and its fruit, one of the stars of the vintage in Saint-Émilion. It has great weight, concentration as well as style and aging potential. The ripe fruit shines through the structure, promising an elegant maturity. Drink from 2025. — Roger Voss

JAMES SUCKLING 97 points
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 points
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. - Neal Martin