Château Canon 1996

The vintage

Weather conditions

Winter: warm except February and the first days of March

Spring: fine in June, then rather rainy

Flowering: June, early, very fine weather

Summer: irregular, then a drop in temperatures, rain in August

Harvest dates

Merlot: 24 September to 4 October

Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon: 30 September

Conditions during the harvest: average weather, between sun and showers; cool temperatures for the season, with wind.

Blend of the 1996 vintage

Figures from the 1996 sheet

• 41 hl/haYield
• 35 yrsVine age

Winemaking

Alcoholic fermentation for 6 to 8 days at 30 °C, in temperature-controlled oak vats. Maceration for 19 to 24 days in temperature-controlled wooden vats between 29 °C and 32 °C. Malolactic fermentation in underground stainless steel vats and in barrels.

Ageing

Ageing in barrels for 18 to 20 months, 60% of which are new. Racking via the bunghole every three months, fining with fresh egg whites 6 months before bottling, no filtration.

Terroir

Château Canon occupies a south-west-facing limestone terrace that makes up most of its surface area. A quarter of the estate lies on the slope of this hillside, which descends gently towards the Dordogne. This imposing mass of sedimentary rock is criss-crossed by numerous galleries, evidence of the quarrying of this building material since the 16th century. The site, which peaks at 87 metres, benefits from perfect ventilation and a walled enclosure that protects the vines from spring frosts. This setting allowed the château to be among the few estates to produce wine during the severe cold of 1766 and 1956.