2017 Canon

A very pretty, slightly high-pitched version, featuring sleek cherry, cassis and damson plum fruit racing through, picking up light savory and mineral notes. The minerality blooms through the finish, with a floral gilding adding a sparkly effect on the long, unencumbered finish.—J.M.

One of the gems in the vintage is the 2017 Château Canon, which checks in at 73% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc. Sensational notes of black cherries, blueberries, liquid violets, awesome graphite, and scorched earth-like minerality all give way to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly pure, yet masculine beauty that has building tannin, beautiful purity of fruit, and a great finish. It's not going to match the 2015 on sheer size and scale, but it's a sensational wine. It’s going to need 3-4 years of bottle age to be drinkable and will keep for two decades or more. Tasted twice.

Another successful year for Canon; not as voluptuous as in 2016 or 2015, but it has a wonderful salinity and a crisp, fresh curl to the fruit. They aim for crystalline flavours, vibrant fruit and a sense of forward motion, and for me it has that again this year. The flavours of blueberries, blackberries and soft, smoky almonds are drawn out through the palate, and by the time it has finished you are ready to go again. It has an austerity that is overridden by the juice, not quite overriding the vintage, but it's a delicious wine that again showcases the beauty of limestone. 50% new oak. Thomas Duclot is consultant here, and it really is a great year for the estates that he works with.