Château Angélus St-Emilion 2016 - 1er Grand Cru Classé A

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

In the heart of the Côte de Saint-Émilion, in the appellation's most prestigious, south-facing sector, Angélus boasts one of the finest terroirs, covering 25 hectares in a single block. Taken to the top by Hubert de Boüard, outstanding winemaker and soul of the estate, it is now run by his daughter Stéphanie and nephew Thierry Grenié de Boüard, who have been at the helm since 2016. The estate has few equals. A high percentage of Cabernet Franc (40-50%), a major human and financial commitment (the new winery built in 2014 enables even more impressively precise wines to be made, the recent helium balloon system is there to counteract hail attacks) and, above all, meticulous attention to every detail. It all adds up to a highly demanding arsenal. These constant efforts earned the estate the supreme rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé A in 2012, an elite accolade that places it on a par with Cheval Blanc and Ausone. More recently, the switch to organic viticulture has completed the rise of the cru, which stands out for its singular sensuality and subtle aniseed notes found nowhere else. Fresh, elegant and supported by subdued tannins, Angélus remains one of the most complex Saint-Emilions on the Right Bank.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Deep garnet-purple in color, Angélus 2016 bursts from the glass with powerful notes of blackberry tart, ripe black cherries and juicy black plums, with a hint of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint, pencil shavings and wood smoke, as well as a scent of allspice. The palate is a pure success. Medium to full-bodied, rich and generously fruity, this wine is by no means heavy - it shimmers with freshness and vivacity, lending an airy nature to all that richness and power, beautifully framed by velvety tannins and finishing with epic length. The generosity, layers and richness of this wine make it absolutely DELICIOUS to drink now, but I suggest you wait another 3-5 years for the fireworks to really begin. 2024-2065

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Promoted to the quartet of premier grands crus classés A in the latest Saint-Émilion classification in 2012, no château has come so far in the Bordeaux hierarchy in such a short space of time. Hubert de Boüard, a modernist winemaker, great communicator and international consultant, is a man of influence in local and national wine circles. 2013 saw the complete renovation and embellishment of the winery, now topped by a spectacular carillon. Hubert de Boüard has restructured his family's vineyard, giving himself all the assets needed to reach the appellation's quality heights. Thierry Grenié-de Boüard joined Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal at the helm of the château in 2017. The eighth generation is taking over, and significantly shaking things up. Angélus epitomizes the sophisticated, formal perfection of today's great Bordeaux wines. 10 kilometers from Angélus, a new winery will be used to vinify Carillon and N°3, the second and third wines, with dedicated plots. For the 2021 vintage, the château will make its organic label official.

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This is a rich, fragrant wine, with dense tannins and intense layers of black plum and spice. The palate is solidly built, but broadened by fleshy black fruit notes and refined by a solid, dry core. Drink from 2025.

Vinous A. Galloni

Jeb Dunnuck

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

Morello cherry, fresh red fruit, hint of spice, menthol, very expressive. Ample mouthfeel, full tannins, very well structured, lovely crunchy fruit, lots of substance, very greedy. Vibrant wine, very well balanced, fresh and dense.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

Purplish purple. Intense, complex bouquet, revealing itself slowly. Angélus begins by revealing fruit and spices, in a filigree, elegant measure. As the minutes go by, it gains in intensity and complexity. I note a little blackberry, blueberry and redcurrant. There are also notes of grilled bacon, cinnamon and a touch of mint. On the finish, the chalky notes are also present and gain in intensity. What strength of character. On the palate, the wine is marked by freshness, to which fried notes are added. The wine has body, breed and tension. The tannins reveal themselves slowly on the finish, struggling to counteract the liveliness of the structure. The crucial point when tasting such a wine is to be able to reach its limits and push it to the limit. In the end, tannins and structure come together to form a beautiful symbiosis. Good return of fruit on the finish. Why score a wine 99 or 100? There's an obvious difference between the two scores: 1 point. How to explain it on paper: a little dose of fruit and sweetness is missing on the finish. We'll get there, we'll get there... remembering that Angélus 2005 was rated 100/100 by Beckustator. Well done to the whole team. 2026-2056

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

The best ever. As is often the case at this age, I made a comparison between non-decanted and decanted wines. It appears more open and better decanted. Dark, intense, beautiful, brilliant purple color. Nose still discreet, with ripe, suave fruit. Smells more of ink when not decanted. On the other hand, it gains a deeper, liquorice and meaty note with decanting. With time, a violet note is revealed. Ample and meticulous on entry, full and rich in the middle, refined in touch, suave in development, the wine evolves dense and complete towards a noble, complex and powerful finish. For the moment, it's a little marked by this power, but it will melt with time.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Deep in color, the wine offers notes of truffle, earth, flowers and dark red fruit. On the palate, the wine feels like fine, well-worn hotel linen, with refined, seductive fruit and concentration. There's dynamism in the fruit and velvety texture, combined with depth, complexity and length. The wine is made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. The Grand Vin represents 67% of the harvest.