2022 Canon

The 2022 Canon has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet raspberries, wild berries and cherries mingled with hints of violets, pencil shavings, black truffle and rose petals, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a dense, enveloping core of fruit underpinned by a chassis of sweet, suave tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This is one of the most muscular, broad-shouldered vintages of Canon in recent years, but it retains every bit of its limestone-driven identity. As I wrote two years ago, this is an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, and the 2022 is indeed reminiscent of a modern day version of one of those great years.

The 2022 Canon has an exquisite bouquet that stops you in your tracks with heavenly blackberry, blueberry, violet and crushed limestone tones—articulating its terroir in consummate style. This has brilliant delineation and just soars from the glass. The medium-bodied palate features fine tannins, a very mineral-driven, almost symmetrical texture and a hint of black olive compote on the finish. It is an outstanding Saint-Émilion and certainly one of the best vintages produced at Canon.

The 2022 Canon is a regal wine of total sophistication and class—aromatic, light on its feet and super-expressive. Crushed flowers, chalk, mint, dried herbs, incense and blood orange all race across the palate. Clean saline-inflected notes extend the mid-palate and finish effortlessly. Even with all of the heat and drought of the year, Canon retains its essential, highly refined personality.