Appellations

Angelus 2017

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé A

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Tasting Notes

Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Angélus wafts slowly, sensuously out of the glass with notes of warm red currants, Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and pencil shavings with nuances of rose oil, black tea, cloves and cumin seed. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing, sporting very finely grained tannins and layers of red and black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral fireworks. What a beauty!

Score: 95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2021-2045 Date: 15 October 2020

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep purple-black colored 2017 Angélus is a little closed to begin, opening out beautifully to notes of baked plums, fresh blackberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of mocha, bay leaves, beef drippings and wood smoke plus a touch of roses. Medium to full-bodied with a great density of mid-palate fruit and firm, fine-grained tannins, it finishes long and earthy with a compelling lift.

Score: 94 - 96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 27 April 2018

In 2017, Angélus leans much more toward finesse than power. Dark cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and mint are all finely knit. The 2017 was just bottled the month before this tasting - normal by the château's standards but late for the Right Bank. Today, the 2017 is powerful, brooding and closed, especially in its aromatics. My impression is that it needs time to recover from its recent bottling.

Score: 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2047 Date: 01 March 2020

The 2017 Angélus was bottled later than many Right Bank wines, in fact just 10 days prior to my visit in late September '19. Proprietor Hubert de Böuard reminded me that there is less Cabernet Franc in the blend (30%) due to the frost, the estate electing to use the first generation fruit from their historical parcels. It has a very pure bouquet that is totally different from the Deuxième Vin, as you would expect, with scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, cassis and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. The 100% new oak is nicely integrated into the black fruit laced with chestnut, tobacco, bay leaf and clove. There is decent body to this Angélus. It feels a little tight and constricted towards the finish, but I appreciate the contribution of the Cabernet Franc. It will age with style.

Score: 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2045 Date: 01 February 2020

Inky crimson. Redolent of classy and spicy oak but the fruit fragrance is there too, waiting to emerge after the chocolate dies back. A fine note of graphite and Cabernet Franc leafy (but fully ripe) freshness. Spicy and fresh on the palate. Rich and finely textured, with the oak giving way to the fruit on the palate. Very good balance even at this early stage. Savoury dark-chocolate, clean finish. (17.5+ Points)

Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2027-2040 Date: 25 April 2018

One of the darkest colored wines in the vintage is the 2017 Angélus. Its final blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, which includes more Cabernet Franc than usual. It's a polished, elegant, layered wine that has beautiful notes of crème de cassis, spice, graphite, and minerality. It has medium to full-bodied richness, fine, silky tannin, beautiful purity and more elegance and charm than normal. I suspect it will put on weight with time in barrel and have two decades or more of longevity.

Score: 94 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 23 April 2018

Emmanuelle has been making wine here for 22 years now. The freshness of the Merlot in 2017 reminds her of 2001 - I would certainly agree, and maybe with a hint of 2014 too. It's a beautiful wine, voluptuous but elegant. These vines were not frosted, but the Cabernet Franc produced less than usual, and they also made an extremely careful selection overall, leading to a yield of 30hl/ha. The wine has great complexity, which is a standout character in 2017, with bilberries, charcoal and plush damson - the Angelus signature of power and glamour. There is good tannic density here and it will clearly merit long ageing. 85,000 bottles of Angelus produced, representing around 80% of total production. Matured in 100% new oak.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2027-2040 Date: 01 April 2018