CHÂTEAU ANGLUDET

The 2020 Château Angludet is the product of a crop that suffered frost damage earlier in the season with a reduced percentage of Merlot. It has a lovely nose, maybe not quite as "brisk" as I described out of barrel, yet harmonious with those appealing black fruit laced with iris flower and violet. The palate is medium-bodied, the 30% aging in amphora imparting the spiciness, the liberal dose of black pepper towards the still gritty finish. Lovely length, lovely Margaux, lovely d'Angludet. Drinking range: 2025 - 2040 Rating: 91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)

The 2020 Margaux Angludet opens with a burst of super-ripe red fruit, flowers, dried herbs and sweet French oak. Angludet is not an easy wine to taste today. It is at once overt and exotic, but also loses some of its initial exuberance on the mid-palate and finish. Drinking range: 2028 - 2040 Rating: 88-90 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)

The 2020 Château Angludet is brisk and precise on the nose of blackberry and bilberry fruit, touches of iodine and pressed flowers coming through with time; there’s wonderful focus and energy here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. A saline and marine-influenced Margaux, well balanced with a little grittiness toward the finish. Yet overall, this classically styled Angludet has commendable breeding and should give 20 years of drinking pleasure. Drinking range: 2024 - 2040 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

The 2020 Château D'Angludet looks to be outstanding, with beautiful red and blue-tinged fruits as well as notes of dried flowers, sandalwood, and leafy herbs, followed by medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. Offering a layered mid-palate and ripe tannins, it’s just a round, balanced, delicious Margaux that will have 15-20 years of longevity. Rating: 91-93 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 D'Angludet comes skipping out of the glass with cheery, upfront scents of baked blueberries, stewed plums and redcurrant jelly, plus wafts of chocolate box and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is juicy and refreshing, offering soft tannins and a satisfyingly fruity finish. Drinking range: 2023 - 2034 Rating: 89-91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)

Deeply fruited bilberry and blackberry, you really get the autumnal hedgerow vibe - well ripened but still with juice. I like this a lot, has character and bite, although the finish is a little spiky. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 91 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

What I like about Angludet in 2020 is that the front half of the experience is lush and expansive, with tender moments as well as more commanding flavours and then, at the back of the palate, the tannins and acidity both wait patiently for the fruit to do its dance before coming in and closing the door quietly. Perfectly judged, nicely balanced, reassuringly accurate and also downright tasty, this is a lovely wine and it is one of the most delightful forward-drinking, but complete, wines of the year. Winemaker Ben Sichel explained that his Merlot was high in sugar and blessed with balancing acidity. He knew it was critical to preserve freshness in the Merlot and he started picking relatively early on 9th September, waiting patiently before starting on the Cabernet. He started picking Cabernet on 21st September and he finished on the 1st October. This period included some rainy patches which diluted the fruit slightly and also helped it to complete its ripeness. Petit Verdot came in on the 1st October. This measured approach to harvesting guaranteed both the ripeness of the fruit and also the smoothness of the tannins and then Ben vinified his crop softly to achieve depth of flavour without astringency. It is clear that he consummately achieved his aims, underlining just how important it is to have a skillful winemaker with profound viticultural skills in a challenging vintage like this one. Rating: 17.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2021)

Deepest crimson with smudgy rim. Lively, fresh aroma with the fruit not the oak to the fore. (No info provided on the oak used, nor on the varietal make-up.) Cassis, blackberry and some red-plum sweetness, which comes through on the palate. Not particularly intense but harmonious, with finely layered dry tannins. Definitely one of the more approachable and digestible Margaux 2020s I have tasted. Hint of chocolate on the finish. Drinking range: 2026 - 2037 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)

Lots of blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors with licorice and tar. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a long, creamy finish. Best of the trilogy. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2021)