Chateau Angelus "Le Carillon d'Angelus" Saint Emilion 2020
(Bordeaux, France) - [JS 95] [DM 93] [WA 92] [JD 92] [TWI 92]

About the Winery:
Château Angélus is known for its complex, structured and particularly elegant wines, whose refinement is only matched by the family passion that gave them birth. The estate has been owned by the Boüard de Laforest family since the Domaine de Mazerat was bequeathed to Comte Maurice de Boüard de Laforest in 1910. It was expanded by the acquisition of Clos de L'Angélus in 1922 by Elisabeth Bouchet his wife and a plot from Château Beau-Séjour Bécot in 1969. The name refers to the three Angelus bells audible from the vineyards, coming from the chapel at Mazerat, the church in Saint-Martin de Mazerat and Saint-Émilion. 

Château Angélus was designated a Grand Cru Classé when the Saint-Émilion classification was created in 1955, due to its already outstanding reputation. In 2012, it reached the pinnacle, achieving the title of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A," a distinction it held until the 2021 vintage. In early 2022, the Domaine opted to withdraw from the classification, the next edition of which was scheduled to be officially announced in September of that year. Consequently, from the 2022 vintage onward, the Château Angélus label will only bear the Grand Cru de Saint-Émilion designation. 

About the Wine:
Château Angélus is planted in a 27-hectare vineyard, on slopes with clay soils, as well as on pied-de-côte with clay-limestone soils. The grape varieties are 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are aged for 18 to 22 months in French oak barrels. Le Carillon d'Angelus, the winery's second wine, was first introduced in 1987 and is typically made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Cedar and floral with dried rose petals and plums with some cherries and fresh tobacco. Medium to full body. Linear and tight with fresh and fine tannins. Chocolate and hazelnut. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Second wine of Angelus. Give it four to five years. Try after 2026." (Mar 2023)

93 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Gorgeous purity on the nose, open and expressive, the florality - rose, iris and violets give a lovely scent. Cool blue fruits, ripe but well defined with a thrilling and vibrant acidity alongside a touch of sweetness giving things a lift. There’s an ease about this, still complex, but it’s smooth and supple with firm tannins, softly gripping and giving the structure. Feels confident but not showy with a wide structure and clear backbone. I love the liquorice and cola aspects and the subtle spice. Ripeness is clearly there, but there’s no excess - the tension and energy remain from the start. Structured and suave." - Georgina Hindle (May 2021)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Aromas of sweet cherries, berries, mint and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, introduce the 2020 Le Carillon d'Angélus, a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless wine that's velvety and enveloping, with a suave, polished profile that will lend it a broad drinking window. Produced in a new, dedicated winery, where tanks are adapted to the size of parcels, it was matured in 45% new barriques, 30% used barrels and the rest in tank, making for a somewhat more controlled oak influence." – William Kelley (Apr 2023)

92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, raised in 60% new French oak (the balance is in stainless steel), the 2020 Le Carillon D'Angelus has a medium-bodied, vibrant, quite elegant profile that certainly brings a touch of the class and finesse that's almost always found in the Grand Vin. Ripe cherries, black raspberries, spice box, sandalwood, and dried flower notes make up the aromatics, and this balanced, wonderfully complete second wine has fine tannins and a good spine of acidity. It will benefit from a few years in the cellar and keep for 10-15 years." (Mar 2023)

92 Points - The Wine Independent: 
"A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Carillon d’Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of Morello cherries, juicy blackberries, and raspberry leaves spring from the glass, followed by touches of lilacs, cedar chest, and sandalwood, with a waft of cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of bright, expressive blackberry and spicy layers, supported by nice, ripe, plush tannins and finishing with a refreshing lift." – LPB (Mar 2023)