Canon: 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009

Chateau Canon is one of my personal favorite properties on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. The St. Emilion estate makes wines with power and finesse. I have consumed some amazing bottles of 1953, 1955, 1961, and 1964 over the years. And I believe that recent vintages such as 2000 are on the same level and that they are getting better every year with renovations in the vineyard.

The Wertheimer family owns the 30 acres estate. They are also owners of the Chanel fashion group. They have spared nothing to improve the wine estate since 1996 when they bought it. From the late 1980s to mid 1990s, the wines had a slight cork taint from 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (tca) contamination in the winery. It has all been corrected.

Check out the video of my visit with the head of the estate, John Kolasa. It was just before the 2011 harvest. We tasted the 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2009. The last had not been bottled yet.