2021
฿฿฿
From our sommelier team
A Merlot-dominant, Cabernet Franc-supported Premier Grand Cru Classé B from Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau — precise, mineral-driven and built for aging rather than opulence.
Château Canon farms 34 hectares on the clay-limestone plateau immediately southwest of the town of Saint-Émilion, in the same band of terroir as Ausone, Bélair-Monange and Clos Fourtet — a site prized for the water-retentive limestone that carries Merlot through dry vintages without over-ripening. The blend is Merlot-led with a substantial Cabernet Franc component (roughly 70/30, though the exact split shifts by vintage). Fermentation runs in temperature-controlled stainless steel, vinified vat-by-vat by parcel, followed by around 18 months in a high proportion of new French oak. Since a 2012-2015 renovation of the cellars under managing director Nicolas Audebert, the house style has moved toward precision and freshness rather than sheer weight: limestone-driven minerality, firm but polished tannin, and restrained oak integration. It was ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé in the original 1955 Saint-Émilion classification and has held that rank since.
Producer history
The property traces to the 1750s-60s, when Jacques Kanon acquired the land and built the original château, completed in 1767; the Fournier family later held it for over seven decades (from 1919) before selling in 1996 to Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, the brothers who own Chanel and who also own Château Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux and Château Berliquet in Saint-Émilion. The Wertheimers rebuilt the winemaking facilities before the 1997 vintage and carried out a further comprehensive vineyard and cellar renovation completed in 2015. Nicolas Audebert has managed the property through this modern era, and the wine has drawn consistently high critical scores since around 2014.
Signature pairings
- Roast duck breast with red wine jus — Duck's fat and iron-rich flavor match Cabernet Franc's savoury edge, while the wine's limestone-driven acidity cuts through richness.
- Aged Comté or Saint-Nectaire — Firm, nutty aged cheeses have enough density to meet the wine's structured tannin without the pairing turning bitter.
- Grilled beef panang (พะแนงเนื้อย่าง) — Panang is a drier, nuttier, less fiery curry, and grilled beef's char plus the sauce's coconut richness suit Merlot-based tannin without clashing.
Château Canon sits on Saint-Émilion's elevated right bank, where clay-limestone soils and south-facing aspect concentrate fruit while moderating heat. The 2021 vintage—marked by a cool spring and warm, dry summer—produced wines of precision rather than overripeness across the appellation.
The blend is Merlot-dominant with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in temperature-controlled vats and aged 18 months in French oak (approximately 60% new). This regime builds structure without masking the site's mineral spine.
Canon's 2021 expresses the vintage's defining character: darker fruit density tempered by acidity and a textural grip that speaks to clay-rich soils. The wine remains in primary evolution; full integration of oak and tannin development will extend drinking potential through the early 2030s.
Details
- Country
- France
- Region
- Bordeaux
- Subregion
- Saint-Émilion
- Variety
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
- Vintage
- 2021
- Bottle size
- 750 ml
Taste profile
- Body
- Medium-Full
- Acidity
- Medium-High
- Tannin
- Medium-High
Pairs well with
- Grilled red meat & steak
- Lamb dishes
- Duck & game birds
- Hard & aged cheese
- Game meats
Sommelier’s pick: Beef bourguignon with pearl onions and mushrooms · Roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic · Duck breast with cherry gastrique
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