Pretty closed up right now, this is full of latent energy. It`s extremely powerful and precise, with poise and tension but also with generosity and density, yet it errs on the side of not giving much away rather than giving too much. You have to give it time in the glass for those cool blueberry, bilberry and tightly spiced notes to come to the fore. The stunning texture is clear but the aromatics take their time. This is a wine that carries its finesse with great skill, and they have done a brilliant job of allowing this aspect to shine amongst the heat of the vintage, allowing the density to inch deeper with every minute in the glass. This wine just gets better and better, Harvest ran from 7 September to 9 October, the longest ever here, with no pressure of rot. 42hl/ha yield. Drink 2027 - 2043. 97 points

72% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc. One-third of the wine goes through malo in new oak, the rest in tank, before ageing 18 months in French oak, 52% new. pH 3.69. Deep purple with bright rim. Lovely Cabernet Franc fragrance of stony/mineral pure black fruit, both restrained in character and yet aromatic. Juicy and fresh on the palate, full of energy and great finesse in the tannins. Dark, refined beauty with a tiny hint of dark chocolate on the finish. Great persistence and cool subtlety. So fresh and juicy, pure and precise. Lightly chalky tannins on the finish, no sign of the alcohol and the tannins have an underlying power. `Les tannins reactifs`, as technical director Nicolas Audebert calls them (I didn`t know what he meant either), give a mouth-watering finish. Silky freshness and elegance. 17.5 points

The 2018 Canon is blended of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.69 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it comes sashaying out of the glass with glamorous notes of cinnamon stick, baked blackberries, black cherry compote and licorice plus an undercurrent of plum preserves and smoked me ats and, with coaxing, reveals a lovely floral signature of candied violets and red roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully soft-spoken, whispering of fragrant floral and earthy scents beneath a core of profound, mouth-coating black and blue fruits, draped in a high level of super ripe, plush tannins, finishing with amazing freshness and perfume with loads of mineral sparks emerging. 97-99 points

The 2018 Canon bristles with energy, tension and explosive, vertical lift. Dark, powerful and full of personality, Canon is magnificent in 2018. Time in the glass brings out a range of dark fruit, mineral, floral and saline notes, but readers will have to be patient in order to enjoy the 2018 at its fullest splendor. Most importantly, I am blown away by how much precision and persistence there is given the wine`s concentration and overall richness. The 2018 Canon is magnificent. That`s pretty much all there is to it. The blend is 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. Technical Director Nicolas Audebert added that he and his team left more leaf cover to protect the fruit from the extreme heat and dryness of the summer. Once in the cellar, extractions were done as gently as possible, Audebert explained. Tasted four times. 94-97 points

It has a very elegant nose, with freshly smoked red plum and red cherry, with a little icing sugar lift, very elegant and appealing. The palate shows a lovely completeness of structure, fresh and polished, tightly drawn, with an elegant grip. A harmonious style, cool and nicely formed, the tannins ripe and velvety, and hidden deep within the substance of the wine. There is some real energy on the finish. A delicious barrel sample, with lovely potential. The élevage here will be in 52% new oak, for 18 months. 95-97 points