2018 Canon

72% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc. Very deep colour, blacker and less blue than 2019. Intense, savoury nose with masses of intrigue. A big Merlot-dominated wine with lots of initial sweetness but no excess. Really very impressive indeed! And with tannins almost completely hidden. Maybe not quite the most beautiful finish, but otherwise pretty perfect. You really could drink this now. (JR)

The fruit here is still crunchy and vibrant at three years old, blueberry, black cherry, smoked almonds and saffron. Clear density from beginning to end of the palate, with a rich full texture. Tannins are poised and confident, softening and adding to a creamy texture after 10 minutes in the glass. Bound to keep powering on for decades, needs another three or four years before starting to approach. 42hl/h, 52% new oak, 3.69ph, harvest September 7 to October 5. Thomas Duclos consults.

The 2018 Canon was picked starting on September 7 and finishing on October 9. Given a two-hour decant, it reveals a surprisingly precocious bouquet, more exuberant than I recall from barrel, offering predominantly black fruit, though the floral element is now amplified and masks the crushed limestone I observed previously (for how long?) The palate delivers multilayered black cherry and blueberry fruit, wrapped up in supple tannins and such a cashmere texture that it feels deceptively approachable when in truth, it has the substance and persistence to merit long-term aging. I wagered that it is the best Canon since the watershed 2015. Don’t expect me to alter that view.