I’m not drinking any f’ing Merlot…

…Until I did, at Wine Spectator’s 43rd Annual New York Wine Experience, and it was the best thing I drank all night.

Château Canon Saint-Emilion 2015 is a triumph. There’s no better way to describe it. And while I drank more expensive wine (Canon was $228 at release, and is now $289.99 on wine.com) with higher ratings (Canon got 97 points from Wine Spectator), this was the star of the New York Wine Experience for me. A blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc grapes, this wine has a fine, elegant nose with beautiful tobacco notes; silky yet slightly grippy tannins; and a soft, plush, round finish. (See my chicken scratch notes above.)

Saint-Emilion is the capital of delicious Merlot in Bordeaux. It’s also a stunning medieval village that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site…well worth a visit next time you’re in Bordeaux. It is, in my humble opinion, the best place on earth to drink Merlot, and the only Merlot in which I dabble.

My issue with Merlot isn’t the grape itself. In fact, in a blind taste test, it’s almost impossible to distinguish between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes have the same characteristics and flavor profiles. The differences between the two wines are often stylistic. Cab makers usually go for bigger bolder wines. Merlot makers tend to create more drinkable, market friendly, and often dumbed-down wines, especially in the U.S.

That dumbing-down is not happening at Château Canon. Winemaker Nicolas Audebert, is not only incredibly handsome (see photo above 🤩 ), he also makes fine, complex wines that reflect the extraordinary limestone plateau where Château Canon is perched. His wines are elegant and ageless. And in a sea of delicious options at the Wine Spectator tasting, Château Canon truly stood out.

🍷Chin!