Situated on a choice bit of the St-Emilion plateau with a poor, thin, clay topsoil and fossil rich limestone motherlode, this challenging terroir is the birthplace of St-Emilion’s top performers. Canon is a classy, high-wire act. The vineyard is planted 70.30 Merlot/Cabernet Franc, and 10 per cent is on the cotes off the plateau. John Kolasa (ex of Chateau Latour) began the reinvention of Canon when he was appointed by the new owners, the Wertheimer brothers of Chanel. Since Kolasa’s retirement, his work has been admirably continued and expanded upon by his erstwhile assistant Nicolas Audebert. The vineyards have been expanded, rationalized and expanded again; the winery and cellar have been completely overhauled. Nicolas Audebert has considerably refined the vineyard work, most notably working harvests on multiple passes, and recent vintages have been singing in response. (NT 14/08/23)