A bold, direct wine, the 2013 Canon hits the palate with a burst of red fruit, iron, smoke, wild flowers and crushed rocks. I very much like the sense of energy here, but there is more than enough fruit to flesh out the finish.

The 2013 Canon has a light, crisp cedar and graphite tinged nose, perhaps Left Bank in style, muted at first but gently unfolding. It never lets go completely and you end up trying to eke out more by swirling your glass (to no avail!). The palate is well balanced with fleshy ripe fruit on the entry, structured but clipped and short on the finish, as if to say, "that's enough." It is a well made Canon, even if former winemaker John Kolasa oversaw many greater vintages of Château Canon during his tenure.

Bright ruby-red. Cabernet franc-dominated aromas of floral strawberry, spearmint and vanilla. Juicy and politely styled, showing an attractive balance of fruit and acidity. The finish is precise and persistent, but the red berry and floral flavors are kept under wraps by assertive, mounting tannins.

Tasted blind. Mid garnet. More sweet and red fruited than most so far. Chewy but satisfying in its balance of fruit and structure. Needs more time. (JH)

Transparent garnet. Light nose and a solid attempt to fill in the gaps with some fruit. Pretty unripe tannins on the end. Better than many, but still very much a 2013. (JR)

Generous nose, all sweet fruit and spice. The palate turns more sour and lean, with lovely acidic brightness and tender tannins but the flavours have a severity that is quite tough to enjoy. Might it mellow with time? (RH)