Canon St-Emilion 1989

93+ points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "This is another vintage of Canon I had not tasted in several years prior to our vertical tasting in early May of 2010, and I was very impressed with how the ’89 has evolved. The emerging bouquet is fantastic, as it offers up scents of black cherries, dark berries, a touch of chipotle pepper, tobacco leaf, coffee, a touch of menthol, a great base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and very complex, with fine mid-palate depth, just a hint of jamminess to the fruit tones on the attack, but great focus and balance on the modestly tannic and very long finish. A very classy ’89. 2010-2050. (Jul/Aug 2012)"

92 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Close to fully mature, the floral, tobacco, peppery boysenberry, smoke and earthy nose is a turn on. Medium/full bodied, with a bit of a green bite in the finish that also provides minty, black cherry notes, the wine is soft, with a hint of old-school rusticity on the palate. The wine is more savory than sweet, which makes sense with its slightly strict palate presence. Decanted about 1 hour in advance of tasting, this is probably not a long-term hold. This is a wine to like, but not to love. If you are holding on to any bottles, it is time to pop a cork. (May 2018)"

92 points (16/20) La Revue du Vin de France (Jan 2005).