The Fournier family was owner of Canon at this point. They had just 18ha of vines at the time, with 14.5ha in production - today, Canon owns 34ha, although the grand vin is still from these vines at the heart of the limestone plateau. The exact blend was not recorded, but the vineyards were planted to 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, planted at 6,500 vines/ha. Harvest took place between 7 and 21 September. It's a gentle, beautiful wine, if a little subdued. Served from magnum, this is still relatively closed but with time in the glass it starts to unfurl and reveal delicate red cherry and raspberry notes, along with tobacco leaf. (JA)

Tasted at the Château Canon vertical, the 1989 Canon is a delightful Saint Emilion and this is the best bottle that I have encountered. It has a classic Saint Emilion bouquet with vestiges of red berry fruit mixed with soy, leather and a touch of ox-tail. It is fully mature but in many ways, more vigorous now than the 1982 Canon. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin and a superb seam of acidity. Very harmonious in the mouth, it is clearly at its peak now after 26 years, quite savory with a pinch of cracked black pepper enlivening the almost Rhône-like finish. What a beautiful 1989 Saint Emilion... (NM)

The 1989 Canon is definitely one of the better wines from an inconsistent period for this Saint-Émilion stalwart. The bouquet retains vigor after 30 years, offering mainly red fruit intermingled with leather and an oxtail scent that I have observed in previous bottles. The harmonious palate is well balanced with finer tannin than similarly aged vintages, and slightly animally and Rhône-like on the savory finish, which is liberally sprinkled with black pepper. (NM)