Clos Canon becomes Croix Canon
From the 2011 vintage, Clos Canon, second wine of Château Canon, will be called Croix Canon.
A precise vineyard and dedicated facilities
In 2011, Chateau Canon has expanded its vineyard with the purchase of 12.5 hectares (29 acres) of vines of Chateau Matras, leading the global superficy to 34 hectares (84 acres). Surrounded by prestigious neighbours (Angélus, Quintus, le Dôme, Beauséjour Duffau Lagarosse…) Matras is located in the continuation of the clay and limestone plateau of St. Emilion.
From that purchase and after a whole year of renovations at the Chapel of Mazerat (where the technical building of Matras were), a new label is born: Croix Canon
Croix Canon is made with the young wines from the clay and limestone plateau of Canon, and those recently acquired on the slope of St Emilion. The grape varieties are 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.
Every day until the end of September, a precise plot by plot management guides the decisions of our technical team. A manual sorting during picking is the final guarantee of selecting the best berries. Croix Canon benefits from a modern and efficient vatroom, integrating gravity to manipulate the grapes as gently as possible. The ageing takes place in a dedicated cellar. To preserve the quality of the fruit and the aromatic balance, Croix Canon is aged for 18 months, using 20% of new oak barrels.
A unique place: the Chapel of Mazerat
To succeed in this project, John Kolasa’s team combined all of its energy to renovate a unique place: the Chapel of Mazerat. Much more than just a technical building used to make the best wine possible, this chapel, with the help of the “Batiments de France” and skilled traditional craftsmen has been restored to its former glory, whist maintaining its history dating back to the 12th century.
The vatroom lies beneath a magnificent oak beam, which date back more than 200 years. A stained-glass window, with in the middle a camellia is, a discrete nod to Coco Chanel, diffuses a soft light to the tasting area. From there, the visitors can enjoy a beautiful view of the vatroom. But the magic of the place happens elsewhere: Croix Canon ages in barrels, in the middle of the Chapel…religiously! The final touch of the renovation was installed on top of the bell tower: a 66 kg bell, specifically designed by the foundry of Cornille-Havard at Villedieu lès poêles.