Château Canon 2023 Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé

James Suckling
(99-100)/100 punten
This is so elegant and sophisticated already, with a really electric presence and length that goes on and on. It's medium- to full-bodied with an intensity of tannins. It remains weightless and energetic. The pH is 3.41, making this a vivid and lively wine. Currant, orange and stone. Sea salt, too. The limestone soils created a unique wine here in 2023. A blend of 71% merlot and 29% cabernet franc.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent)
(98-100)/100 punten
A blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Canon has a pH of 3.42 and it will age in barriques for 16-18 months, of which 50% are new. It is deep garnet-purple in color and sails out of the glass with bold notions of juicy blueberries, fresh plums, and Bing cherries, giving way to hints of black pepper, fragrant soil, and violets. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic black and blue fruits, framed by super-satiny tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and fragrant. Absolutely ethereal!

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
(97-99)/100 punten
Violets, roses, and lilacs kick off the floral display. You also find cherries, plums, black raspberries, cigar box, and spice, with a touch of licorice. There is a balance between the vivacity, and sweetness, a strong sense of crushed rocks, and stones, depth, and intensity. The finish is racy, in all the best ways, which is the perfect backdrop for the wine's layers of salt-tinged fruits that linger. The best part of the wine is that the fruit expresses a beautiful sense of purity, with no hard edges. The wine blends 71% Merlot with 29% Cabernet Franc. 14% ABV. 3.41. Harvesting took place September 6 - October 4. The length of the harvest is one of the key points to the vintage, as the estate was able to stop, start, and wait for phenolic ripeness. Drink from 2030- 2060.

Decanter
98/100 punten
Another excellent wine from the team at Canon benefitting from its position on the limestone plateau. Deep florals, violets, black fruits, some purple fruits too with cocoa powder and cool fresh blueberries. Smooth and so refined, this has a comfort in the mouth that few others have - a certain weight that defies the vintage - almost fleshy but more thick juice rather than lean, with a sweet core as well as biting acidity that provides a great contrast. This is a serious wine, it has structure and movement, supple tannins, so fine with a touch of chalk, strawberry, cranberry and red cherry fruit with liquorice spice on the finish. Assured winemaking, ripe fruit, great acidity and body, ending clean and pure with wet stones and graphite touches. Just delicious, a wine that tastes great now and feels like it’ll always be that way. Expansive in the best way. Ageing 16-18 months in 50% new oak as well as foudre. 3.42pH.

Falstaff
96/100 punten
Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections, brightening on the edge. Fine, attractive old wood notes, dark cherry fruit, hints of blackberries, a hint of nougat, candied orange zest. Juicy on the palate, complex, elegant and harmonious, hints of cloves, ripe, round tannins, pronounced fruit in the finish, balanced and persistent, great finesse, a good food wine with certain ageing potential.

Antonio Galloni (Vinous)
(94-96)/100 punten
A wine of classicism and reserve, the 2023 Canon is less overtly expressive than most recent vintages, keeping much of its personality in reserve. Nevertheless, I watched it grow considerably over the two weeks I spent in Bordeaux. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint and spice are some of the many notes that open in the glass. It is a wine that marries generous fruit with classical rigor. I won't be surprised if it shows even better with time. Tasted four times.

Neal Martin (Vinous)
(94-96)/100 punten
The 2023 Canon was picked from around 6 September to 6 October at 45hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a perfumed bouquet with pure black cherries and touches of cassis and violet. The oak is beautifully integrated. Perhaps if I have to quibble, it is not quite as complex as the very best recent vintages, but that's a high bar nowadays. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black cherry fruit laced with iodine, and veins of blue fruit. There is a sorbet-like freshness embroidered throughout this Canon, and it delivers a lovely cracked black pepper note on the finish. Excellent. Again.

Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux)
96/100 punten
Finesse and saline limestone character on full display, spiced plum, textural as ever, with finely boned architecture, in the line of great Canon vintages, with density to the black fruits and the mouthwateringly precise tannic grip and oyster shell salinity. 50% new oak for ageing, harvest September 6 through to October 4 (with Merlot going right through until the end, unlike many places, here they really waited). 45hl/ha yield, in organic conversion. Tasted twice.

Decanter
98/100 punten
Another excellent wine from the team at Canon benefitting from its position on the limestone plateau. Deep florals, violets, black fruits, some purple fruits too with cocoa powder and cool fresh blueberries. Smooth and so refined, this has a comfort in the mouth that few others have - a certain weight that defies the vintage - almost fleshy but more thick juice rather than lean, with a sweet core as well as biting acidity that provides a great contrast. This is a serious wine, it has structure and movement, supple tannins, so fine with a touch of chalk, strawberry, cranberry and red cherry fruit with liquorice spice on the finish. Assured winemaking, ripe fruit, great acidity and body, ending clean and pure with wet stones and graphite touches. Just delicious, a wine that tastes great now and feels like it’ll always be that way. Expansive in the best way. Ageing 16-18 months in 50% new oak as well as foudre. 3.42pH.

Jeb Dunnuck
(94-96)/100 punten
The 2023 Château Canon is an ultra-classic wine from this terroir offering textbook limestone-driven, black raspberry, floral, chalky, and spicy aromas and flavors. As always, it's not massive and is more medium-bodied, with a balanced, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and no hard edges. It actually reminds me a little of the 2001 from this estate. It's a gorgeous wine that will evolve for 25+ years, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it drink nicely in its youth as well. Tasted multiple times.

William Kelley (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate)
(96-98)/100 punten
Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with spices, rose petals, licorice and violets, the 2023 Canon is another brilliant wine from a property whose excellence can almost be taken for granted. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's seamless and concentrated, its vibrant core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and girdled by lively acids, concluding with a long, mineral finish.

Jancis Robinson
17+/20 punten
Crimson hue. Energy and complexity on the nose. Supple, layered fruit on the palate. Fine tannins with some persistence. Elegant and true to its limestone-plateau origin. Drink 2030 – 2045