Canon 2022

From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age.

Endless on the palate with plenty of umami character. So Canon in its nature with plenty of fruit and fine tannins, yet almost weightless. The structure is all there. Electric. Long, long, long. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc.

Deep purple in the glass. An outstanding nose, expansive and sweet yet sophisticated. Steeped dark cherry, espresso, bitter cocoa, dark plum and soy sauce all come through. The palate follows with a plush, full-bodied entry immediately tightened by polished, plentiful tannins. A round, succulent wine for the château, this managed superb refinement for the vintage. Broad and deep, with an unerring finish. Excellent.

The 2022 Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc with a yield of 45 hl/ha, planned to be aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it requires a lot of patient swirling to release scents of fresh blackberries, raspberry preserves, and Morello cherries, giving way to emerging scents of rose oil, cumin seed, crushed rocks, and underbrush, plus a fragrant waft of candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and tightly wound with firm, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. pH 3.50.

The inky intensity of the colour might make you worry that the limestone signature will be swamped, but it is very much guiding proceedings on the palate here. Expect waves of red roses, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, salinity, but also real intensity, there is a depth and complexity that quite stunning as the wine expands through the palate, with creamy blue and black fruits, and a mouthwatering oyster shell finish. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, 50% new oak, with four larger-sized oak casks. A standout in the vintage, more proof of the exceptional level that Canon is playing at right now. 50% new oak.

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. All benefitting from the freshness of the limestone plateau. 18 months in 50% new oak including four tuns. Cask sample.
This lovely wine really goes to the limit of unexpected freshness in 2022! Subtle and limpid and dangerously approachable. The lively calcaire note is very obvious. Clean and pure. Lots buried in there. Health juice/mouthwash. More lifted than the Rauzan-Ségla and less concentrated.
Drink 2030– 2050

Tasted on three separate occasions (and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine on one of those), the 2022 Château Canon is an incredible wine in the making, and it might be the finest in the series starting in 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc harvested between August 30 and September 22, it comes from yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare and hit 14.5% alcohol. The élevage will run 16-18 months in just 30% new French oak. As classy as they come, it has a beautiful perfume of red and blue fruits as well as notes of white flowers, truffly earth, woodsmoke, and forest floor. With incredible density, a multi-layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and integrated acidity, this incredible Canon will evolve for 30-40 years. I finished my rough note on this with "Pure class."

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Elegant and precise on the nose. Red fruit with a chalky freshness. Beautifully textured. Velvety tannins and lovely persistence. Clean, fresh and long on the finish. Harmonious. Spot-on for the vintage. (JL) 14.5%
Drink 2030– 2048

You can read about Canon’s second wine (Croix Canon) in this Report, and, of course, I tasted this wine first. I was shocked at just how rewarding and complex it was, and so when I eventually approached the Grand Vin, it was with a degree of trepidation. Could it soar above Croix Canon, as it should, or would it just taste like a darker and more backward creation? Before climbing into Canon, I also tasted two barrel samples of this wine in the cellar. One was taken from a new barrel, and the second from a 1-year-old barrel. The precise combination of these two exquisite flavours equals Canon. As I climbed the stairs from the cellar to the tasting room, I wondered if the potential shown in the cellar could be replicated in the blended wine. The answer is that Canon is nothing short of perfection in 2022. The flavours power on and then, without warning, unexpectedly grows even riper and richer, and this feeling of profound quality and nobility sensation lasts for an eternity. This is such a pleasing and engaging wine from the very first moment the flavour passes your lips. It then stays there, resplendent and proud. This is a standout wine for Canon, and the density, ripeness and long and keen-edged finish make it so thrilling. I cannot find even the slightest blemishes or imperfections in the whole Canon experience, and I think this will be one of the longest-lived wines in this property’s history.