Olive tapenade, truffles, a sweet strawberry attack that opens to maple syrup, fig, saffron, smoked fennel and gentle white pepper spice. At 16 years on this shows fully ripe fruit that has softened and opened but is still giving pleasure, with plenty of juice running through the tannins. The heat and drought of 2003 makes it signpost vintage, in that it can tell you a lot about the terroir of an estate, and here you see the full benefits of limestone maintaining uplift. It's definitely ready to drink, but feels welcoming rather than tired. 28hl/h yield. 50% new oak, 3.59ph, harvest September 9 to 16.

The finest effort yet produced under the new owners (the proprietors of the haut couture fashion house of Chanel) the deep ruby/purple-tinged 2003 exhibits aromas of flowers red as well as black currants a soft generous attack and mid-palate outstanding purity and good minerality. This is an elegant savory full-flavored Canon that should be accessible in 2-3 years and last for 15-16.