Château Canon

History of the Château Canon estate

It was a privateer under King Louis XV, Jacques Kanon, who acquired the Saint Martin estate in 1760, thanks to the income from his missions at sea on behalf of the King. He built his home here and began cultivating vines.
His successor, Raymond Fontémoing, took over the property and continued to develop the vineyard. It is to him that we owe the name Château Canon. The property was subsequently bought by the Fournier family in 1919, then by Chanel in 1996.

The Château Canon estate in the heart of Saint Émilion terroir

The Château Canon wine estate represents 34 hectares with red grape varieties. Merlot makes up the vast majority, at 75%. It is complemented by Cabernet Franc. The vines are between 25 and 35 years old.

Three-quarters of the vineyard is planted on a limestone terrace at an altitude of 87 meters, facing south/southwest. The last quarter of the vineyard slopes down towards the Dordogne valley. The chalky-clay soil is ideal for both grape varieties, and walls encircling the property create an enclosure that protects the vines from late frosts.

The Château Canon estate is managed according to the "gestion parcelaire raisonnée" system. The grapes are harvested when fully ripe, while respecting the environment. Production is 130,000 bottles a year.

Restructuring the Château Canon estate

Since the Château Canon vineyard was bought by Chanel in 1996, the vineyard has been completely restructured, thanks to considerable investment. More than half the vines have been uprooted and replanted.

In addition, the winery buildings were rebuilt and the vat room refurbished. The new barrel cellar is divided into three air-conditioned areas, each capable of housing 300 barrels. Two cellars are dedicated to the first year, the third to the second year. Vinification lasts three weeks, with maceration at between 28°C and 32°C, in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.

The Château Canon wine

Château Canon

Château Canon is a Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Saint Émilion appellation. It is one of the region's most renowned wines, with a strong character that is typical of Saint Émilion wines. Château Canon offers notes of red fruits - strawberries and raspberries - which contribute to an intense fruity bouquet. If you take the time to decant the wine, its nose transforms and offers up scents of morello cherry. It's long on the palate, and the fruity aspect of the wine lingers for a long time.

Croix Canon

Château Canon's second wine is Croix Canon, also a Premier Grand Cru Classé. Very fruity, it is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, with a small proportion of new barrels, which ensures remarkable aromatic balance.
The Croix Canon is a complex wine with fruity and mineral notes.