Andrew Jefford | Deep, dark, opaque black-red. A wonderful aromatic profile, still principally floral: freesias and peonies over barely less floral black cherry with quieter plum-damson fruits behind. Fresh, elegant, light, fine, and enchanting, and a great relief after some of the exaggerated oakiness of some of this wine’s St-Emilion peers. It’s quite a contrast to the dense, brooding, incense-like aromatic richness of Clos Fourtet, too, even though the vineyards of these two plateau properties are near neighbors. On the palate, this is a deep and intense wine, packed with black cherry and plum; the floating floral backdrop remains throughout the length of the palate. Fine, sculpted acidity and light but tenuous tannins sustain the fruits, and the palate confirms the discretion of the wine’s oak handling. An outstanding Canon, polished and perfumed to the last. | 95

Michael Schuster | A fine, sweet, heady nose; rich, full, powerful wine, finely firm in tannin; deep, sweet, aromatic, close-grained and long across the palate, mouth-coating, warm, complex, and complete, and very long to finish. A powerful, muscular expression of a limestone plateau wine, which will need plenty of time in bottle to mellow and harmonize. Fine Canon, in the year’s potent style. 2028–45+. | 94