Country: France

Region: Bordeaux - Saint-Emilion

Vintage: 2005

Cépage: Merlot (80%); Cabernet Franc (20%)

Size: 750 ml

Rating(s): 95 (RP); 94 (JS)

" Tasted at the Château Canon vertical, the 2005 Canon is evolving into a quite gorgeous Saint Emilion. One can still discern those brown spices infiltrating the ripe red and black fruit. There is fine mineralité here, great focus, perhaps just a hint of dried blood that develops with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannin. It is a very complex Saint Emilion with immense purity and style, a wine that you have to keep coming back to in order to understand. It's at that pivotal stage between primary and secondary notes, the red and black fruit being overtaken by cedar, morels and a touch of game. It gently lifts and fans out to a quite captivating finish. Dare I say that the 2005 Canon is the pick of the three over 2009 and 2010? There...I've said it...it is a quite brilliant wine."

Neal Martin (RP) - 03/17