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An opened bottle of of 2010 Saint-Émilion Château Angélus, showcasing 2010 Saint-Émilion, Château Angélus, a renowned Bordeaux wine known for its exceptional quality and rich characteristics.

2010 Saint-Émilion, Château Angélus

About Producer

The origins of this estate date back to 1782 when Jean de Boüard de Laforest, whose family had been in Bordeaux since 1544, settled in St-Emilion. At the beginning of the 20th century, Maurice de Boüard de Laforest extended the vineyards by notably adding a 3ha enclosure named Angélus in 1920. The 20ha vineyard lies on south-facing slopes, with upper parts on clay-limestone soils planted mainly with merlot and lower parts on clay-sand-limestone with cabernet franc. The Angélus we know today owes much of its glory to Hubert, grandson of Maurice, who took over the reins of the property in 1985. It’s Hubert who single-handedly elevated the quality of Angélus with a remarkable succession of great wines since the late 1980s that has resulted in its promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in 2012. Since 2012, the family property is managed by Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, Hubert's daughter.

Varietals

Blend of 55% merlot and 45% cabernet franc. The 20ha vineyard lies on south-facing slopes, with upper parts on clay-limestone soils planted mainly with merlot and lower parts on clay-sand-limestone with cabernet franc.

About Appellation

Saint-Émilion and its vineyards that cover 5,331ha of vines were listed in 1999 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Archeological evidence suggests that vines were planted here in Roman times. From a geological angle, the appellation can be divided in three sections. Close to the town, the limestone plateau sits on chalky and clayey siliceous soils. The northwest corner, that continues westwards into Pomerol, has a sandy layer on top of clay-like soils. Totalling 1,171ha, these two first sections are home to the finest estates of the appellation. The third section is the area south of the limestone plateau towards the Dordogne river that lies on sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits. Across the appellation, merlot reigns supreme with cabernet franc playing a supporting role.

Tasting Notes

Enthralling nose of dark berries, chocolate, liquorice, spice box, smoke and floral scents, dense and opulent mouthfeel with velvety texture, excellent precision and incredible concentration, mouth-coating flavours of raspberry, blueberry, roasted coffee, truffle, pepper and forest floor notes underpinned by a firm mineral backbone, lively acidity and fine-grained tannins leading onto a long, grippy finish. This is a sensational wine with majestic poise, amazing focus and remarkable balance. At the very beginning of its drinking window, it took time to unfurl its seductive richness while revealing just a glimpse of its immense potential. I particularly love the cashmere-like feel on the palate and the fascinating blend of youthful vigour and captivating complexity that bodes well for future grandeur. Give it a few more years, and this will turn out to be a phenomenal wine. (11/2021)

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