Château Canon Saint-Émilion 2019 - 1er Grand Cru Classé B

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Once poured, you’ll want to savor the magnificent profile of this 2019 Canon, with its ultra-fine, creamy attack that lends the palate a unique refinement, perfectly extended by a multidimensional mineral structure. The excellent impressions from our initial tastings are perfectly confirmed here. But be careful—don’t touch it now, or it would be a “Canon-icide”! In 10 years, we’ll be very happy to have such a Canon in our cellar.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

A grand cru founded in 1760 by frigate captain and privateer Jacques Kanon, who established a single-crop vineyard there; it was elevated to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 1954. The Fournier family, who settled here in 1919, sold the estate to the Chanel group in 1996. Nestled against the medieval town, the estate is ideally situated south of the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion. Beneath the surface lie vast cellars dug over centuries to build Libourne and Bordeaux. Nicolas Audebert (who also manages Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux, owned by the same proprietors) oversees the vineyard: 34 hectares, including 12 from the Grand Cru Classé Matras, acquired in 2011, which now supplies the second wine, Croix Canon.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

250 years ago, a privateer with a passion for the land had Château Canon built. Twenty-five years ago, two brothers with an eye for aesthetics and a love of beauty purchased the estate. The Wertheimers (Chanel), after acquiring Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux, turned their attention to the Right Bank two years later, taking over Canon in 1996, followed by its neighbor, Château Berliquet, in 2017. Through successive restructuring efforts, and under the direction of Nicolas Audebert, Cabernet Franc has become a more significant component, now accounting for 30% of the vineyard’s plantings and the final blend. The vineyard’s perfect homogeneity on the asterian limestone of the plateau offers refined consistency, set within the labyrinth of quarries that run underground alongside the vines. Regardless of the vintage, Canon defies convention: hot years do not detract from its superb quality, as the limestone acts as a water reservoir. The wine’s signature slender elegance has built its reputation.

Vinous

About the wine:

The 2019 Canon is creamy and complex. A wine of immense charm and sensuality, it is already appealing today, yet clearly has aging potential. The 2019 is not as exuberant as most recent vintages, but its balance is simply magnificent. Expect an aristocratic Saint-Émilion that retains a beautiful reserve. Patience is key. Tasted 3 times. 2031–2059

Jeb Dunnuck

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

The nobility of its younger sibling, Berliquet, takes on a majestic quality in Canon, with an elegant nose of pure, deep red and purple fruits, perfectly ripe. The nose takes you to the clouds. On the palate, a wave of inky black fruits, yet with that depth of ripe fruit touched by grace, washing ashore on a saline minerality and a melt-in-the-mouth sweetness. The cashmere-like texture—a signature of Chanel—lingers in a long, fresh finish. Dangerously addictive! 2031–2051

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

Located on an exceptional terroir on the limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion, Château Canon has continued to captivate us for several vintages now—leaving one to wonder where this ascent will end. The nose displays an inimitable elegance, full of depth, verticality, and aromatic purity. The body is perfectly ripe yet airy in structure. The concentration is flawless, elegant, and sap-like, propelled by a minerality of dazzling persistence. This 2019 is as moving and vibrant as a cello melody, nestled among the pantheon of great terroir wines.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

Deep purple. Canon’s bouquet sets the tone right away! It’s all about subtlety and intensity, with a keen sense of detail and complexity. The notion of detail and subtlety is perfectly reflected on the palate. What freshness and what character, displayed with elegance, finesse, and precision. A wine that moves forward with great class and stands out as a conqueror on the lookout for enthusiasts eager for relevant and subtle details. A fruity, intense, and lingering finish. It is not customary to award the maximum score to an en primeur wine, but, to be honest, I couldn’t find a single point to deduct. If necessary, I’ll rate it 101/100 when it’s ready for release, as it may be even better than it is now! What a promising outlook. 2025–2049

Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing

About the wine:

The nose is subtly delicate and fresh. Blackcurrant, blueberry, flowers, mineral notes, a hint of graphite, a touch of licorice, and violet as well. Everything here is refined and elegant. The attack is delicate and precise, with silky tannins and a crystalline texture perfectly supported by a very mineral and expressive acidity. Crystal-clear purity and such precision. One of the finest and most distinctive wines of the vintage, with an aging potential of nearly 50 years or more. Very true to its terroir in an exceptional vintage. A cut above the magnificent 2018. 100% great wine.

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

About the wine:

Château Canon has seen a remarkable rise in recent years, and you’ll understand why. There is so much complexity, depth, power, and interest in this wine. It buzzes with life, rising on the palate, full of gunpowder, truffle, raspberry, and blueberry—so delicious. It will need time, but it already shows that it is worth the wait. 45 hl/ha, 3.5 pH, harvested from September 11 to October 4, 50% new oak. Thomas Duclos is the consultant.