Chateau Canon Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010

Vivid, crystal-clear fruit aromas, juicy black cherry, ripe plum and succulent blackberry, combining with artisanal dark chocolate, violet and fresh tobacco leaf, making this wine incredibly complex and still very youthful. Its layered and finely textured palate almost hides powerful density, with freshness to balance opulence, leading to a long finish. Serve with beef Wellington. Or cellar for 10 years for more tertiary flavours.

I loved the 2010 Château Canon. This powerhouse of a Canon boasts a dense ruby/plum hue with just a touch of lightening at the rim. Ripe black cherries, currants, smoke tobacco, truffly earth, and chocolate all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with a dense, layered mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Drink 2025-2042.

The 2010 Canon is deep garnet in color. Still a bit closed on the nose, it needs a lot of swirling to unlock notions of fruitcake, stewed black cherries, and dried mulberries leading to hints of charcoal, truffle, crushed rocks, and aniseed. The full-bodied palate is a behemoth of rich, dense, black fruit preserves flavors, supported by firm, rounded tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and ever so spicy. It needs time!

Wonderful nose with strawberries, cherry blossom, and vanilla. The red opens up with blueberries, milk chocolate and sweet licorice. Full and juicy on palate with pure dark fruit and velvety tannins. So nicely layered texture and long in the finish with red fruit and crushed chalk. The texture is superb. Drink from 2018.

High alcohol but this takes it in its stride. A tiny trace of heat offset by delicious juice running underneath, and plenty of spiced plum and blackberry fruits, edges of pomegranate and slate. Good quality, a great Canon if with a touch less precision than you will find in recent years - but these are wines that stand the test of time, and that will offer endless opportunities for joy.

The 2010 Canon is a little disappointing on the nose in the context of a strong Right Bank flight. It feels a little loose-knit, lacks the same pixelation as its peers. It almost reminds me of a mature Chambolle-Musigny! The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly minty opening. Matters improve with fine structure, gentle grip and some lovely black truffle notes towards the finish. Perhaps there are better bottles out there? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.