Chateau Angelus

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

1er Grand Cru Classé B

last update : Sunday 08 January 2012

Located in a natural amphitheatre, at the foot of the southern St. Emilion slope, Château Angélus was acquired in the early 20th Century by Maurice Boüard de Laforest, whose family were also the owners of nearby Château Mazerat since 1790. The name Anglélus comes from the sound of bells rung at three local churches during the service of the same name. In the 1960s, Maurice’s sons, Jacques and Christian, went on to buy neighboring vineyard plots. Today, the property is managed by Hubert de Boüard de Laforest and his cousin Jean-Bernard Grenié.

Château Angélus currently has 32 hectares of vineyards in a single block, of which 23.4 produce a Premier Grand Cru Classé B. The soil is largely limestone with traces of blue clay in the upper layers, and sand, clay, and limestone soil on the slope. There is a relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc at Angélus. This late-ripening variety does very well on Saint Emilion's southern slope thanks to excellent sun exposure, and the château often aims to pick these grapes slightly overripe.

Angélus uses Guyot double pruning and other traditional viticultural methods, including plowing in those parts of the vineyard where grass is left to grow between the vine rows. Bud pruning and crop thinning limit yields to between 5 and 9 bunches per vine.

In the past few years, Château Angélus has adopted a plot-by-plot approach to vineyard management. The grapes are carefully sorted in the vineyard and then brought to air-conditioned cellars, where they are destemmed, sorted twice more, and put onto a conveyor belt to fill the stainless steel, concrete, and wooden fermentation vats by gravity flow. Oak is used only for the very best of the year’s crop. Temperature-controlled pre-fermentation maceration lasts 3 to 4 days. This is followed by fermentation at 28-30°C and maceration for approximately one month. Optimum extraction is achieved by both pumping over and délestage (rack and return). The wine is run off into new oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. Each grape variety is kept separate. Depending on the vintage, this secondary fermentation can take anywhere from 18 to 24 days. Angélus buys barrels with various degrees of toasting from several coopers to obtain an attractive, but not overpowering flavor of oak. After numerous tastings, the final blend is made in the summer following the vintage. The wine is not generally fined.

Château Angélus has been among the best "modern-style" wines of Saint-Emilion for over 15 years – rich, aromatic, and concentrated, but true to its terroir.

In the Bottle

Older wine enthusiasts will remember a time in the 70s and 80s when Angélus was often mediocre. However, this changed radically when Hubert de Boüard de Laforest took over Angélus as sole manager in 1985.

Vertical tastings show that Angélus has become more "modern" and concentrated, with a higher alcohol content, since 2000. Ripe, round, and assertive, the wines of Château Angélus remain nevertheless elegant. Made to be rich and immediately appealing (some would say "international" in style), Angélus nevertheless ages well.

Château Angélus is clearly above average in its appellation. 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2000 are the most outstanding recent vintages, not forgetting the classic 2001.

Having produced a wonderfully consistent wine for the past decade, Angélus has developed a fine reputation, which explains the strong international demand and increased prices.

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WINE PRODUCED BY THE ESTATE

Angélus, Carillon de L'Angélus (second wine)

COMPARISON WITH AOC - SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU

Vintage	Absolute score	Relative score to the Appellation	Standard deviation

2009	95.6	104.5	1.63
2008	92.7	102.7	2.1
2007	91.7	102.9	2.33
2006	93.0	103.4	3.38
2005	91.5	104.0	4.2
2004	91.0	104.5	3.2
2003	88.2	102.2	5.55
2002	87.7	102.7	5.09
2001	88.3	104.2	4.52
2000	90.2	104.7	4.3
1999	87.1	102.1	2.7
1998	90.4	102.6	2.14
1997	89.0	103.5	2.53

TASTING NOTES

Laurent Gibet - 04/2007

Deep bouquet, mint and flowery but less expansive than that of the 1996. Blackcurrant, tobacco and citrus fruits.
Quite austere on the palate, which gives strength to 1995 Angelus. Sapid midpalate with powdery tannins.
There is nothing here that screams outstanding, yet it is elegant and very enjoyable.