CHÂTEAU ANGÉLUS

The 2020 Angélus is shaping up to be tremendous. Bright and punchy, with terrific energy, the 2020 is more linear and focused than any recent vintages I can remember tasting. Crushed red berry fruit, iron, smoke, mint, chalk and dried herbs all build in the glass. In 2020, Angélus is less flashy than it can be. That is a very good thing, for those who can wait. Harvest took place between September 18 to 30. One of the major evolutions here in recent years has been the use of foudres to age the Cabernet Franc. Half of the Franc is now raised in large format oak, and that seems to bringing added freshness to the Grand Vin. Drinking range: 2025 - 2060 Rating: 96-98 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)

The 2020 Angélus was given 30–40 minutes to open. It has a very intense nose of multilayered blackberry, blueberry and wild strawberry scents, crushed violet and hints of iodine. It is quintessential Angélus in many ways, sleek and smooth, harmonious and seductive. Those qualities also come through on the palate. This is framed by fine tannins, the Cabernet components coming through strongly on the midpalate. Quite ferrous in some ways, allspice and subtle minty notes lending complexity toward the finish. It is not quite as persistent as the recently tasted 2018 from bottle, but it comes across a little more chiseled and intellectual. Drinking range: 2027 - 2055 Rating: 95-97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

I loved the 2020 Château Angélus, which has the fresh, pure, incredible style favored by the estate today yet still has beautiful concentration and depth. Lots of ripe black cherries, mulberries, and cassis as well as violets, white flowers, tobacco, and dark chocolate define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a seamless, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, flawless tannins, and a great finish. While I don't think it's going to match the magical 2018, it's not far off and is unquestionably a gorgeous wine. Rating: 95-97 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

The 2020 Angélus has an opaque purple-black color, pulling you in with a captivating perfume of kirsch, Black Forest cake, ripe plums, violets and molten licorice, followed by wafts of underbrush, raspberry leaves and graphite, plus a hint of clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate already offers beautiful balance and expression at this nascent stage, featuring bright, crunchy red and black fruits with remarkable energy and tension. Its amazingly plush, silken texture carries all these shimmering flavors to a very long and fragrant finish. This jaw-dropping expression of 2020 is simply stunning. The blend this year is 40% Cabernet Franc and 60% Merlot, due to be aged 18-22 months in French oak barriques, 100% new, and two new foudres. The wine has pH of 3.65 pH and an alcohol of 14.5%. Drinking range: 2027 - 2062 Rating: 98-100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)

Supple damson fruits, I love the aromatics on this and the striking fruits. Silky in texture, balanced and elegant, there are big tannins that slowly but surely creep up on you through the palate. This is a sleek, poised, and confidently-constructed Angélus, with depth to the olive, chocolate, cassis body and a crushed mint leaf kiss on the finish. As often with this vintage it is not an exuberant hug, it is more about discreet power and gorgeous stealing-up of flavours and textures giving depth and subtle power. 3.62pH, aged in large sized oak cass and oak barrels. A yield of 37hl/ha. Drinking range: 2028 - 2048 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

It is rare to find such pressure on a Grand Vin to perform as there has been on Angélus in 2020. This pressure is both from within the operation, from the owners, winemakers and viticultural team who have been doing everything possible to raise this wine’s game further, but it has also come from Carillon and No3, its own family because they are so downright delicious in this vintage. And when there is pressure, wines often tense up, becoming self-conscious, self-critical and reticent. Not so Angélus, because this is one of the most polished performances of the vintage. While the Merlot was looking great in the vineyard it was clear that Cabernet Franc was missing something and so they waited an extra three or four days and it became perfect. With a degree or so less alcohol in the Cabernet Franc part of the blend, it was critical to allow this variety to reach its full aromatic potential in 2020. The tannins are ripe here and the flavour is profoundly deep and resonant. While Merlot provides the depth, Cabernet Franc, some of which was matured in large 30HL foudres to lessen the oak contact, has brought the magic in the form of spice, sensitivity, freshness and energy. There is a vital acid thread here which keeps everything in check and it brings amazing refinement to the whole wine. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2021)

This is wonderfully refined and balanced with such pretty depth. Full-bodied and so polished and pure. Subtle at first, then it takes off and keeps coming. Sophisticated. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. Rating: 98-99 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2021)