1989 Canon

The 1989 Canon is definitely one of the better wines from an inconsistent period for this Saint-Émilion stalwart. The bouquet retains vigor after 30 years, offering mainly red fruit intermingled with leather and an oxtail scent that I have observed in previous bottles. The harmonious palate is well balanced with finer tannin than similarly aged vintages, and slightly animally and Rhône-like on the savory finish, which is liberally sprinkled with black pepper. Preferable to the 1990 Canon. Bottles should be drunk now and in the near future, before the inevitable decline. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.

Tasted at the Château Canon vertical, the 1989 Canon is a delightful Saint Emilion and this is the best bottle that I have encountered. It has a classic Saint Emilion bouquet with vestiges of red berry fruit mixed with soy, leather and a touch of ox-tail. It is fully mature but in many ways, more vigorous now than the 1982 Canon. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin and a superb seam of acidity. Very harmonious in the mouth, it is clearly at its peak now after 26 years, quite savory with a pinch of cracked black pepper enlivening the almost Rhône-like finish. What a beautiful 1989 Saint Emilion, but as Robert Parker originally mentioned, it was probably the final great wine before matters went awry in the 1990s due to lack of investment and an infection in the winery. Tasted October 2015.