Saint-Émilion 1° Grand Cru Classé 2016 - Parker 98+

Winemaker and Vineyard : The Angelus vineyard is located in the heart of a natural amphitheater, dominated by the three churches of Saint-Emilion. In the heart of this privileged site, where sounds are amplified, one could hear the bells ring the Angelus in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. They paced the working day in the vineyards and villages; men and women would then stop working for a moment of reflection. At Angelus, the vineyard is located in a natural amphitheater on the coast and the southern slope of Saint-Emilion, which concentrates the warm temperatures in the summer and increases the earliness. The soil is naturally drained by the slope. The good distribution between limestone and clay between 8 and 20% ensures regular water and mineral supply. The rootstocks are ideally adapted to the terroir and the grape varieties are distributed according to the soils: merlots on the coast (more clayey) and cabernet francs in a high proportion (46% of the planting) on the clay-limestone soils of the foot of the coast.

Tasting : Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2016 Angélus erupts from the glass with powerful notes of blackberry pie, ripe black cherries and juicy black plums with an undercurrent of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint, pencil shavings and woodsmoke plus a waft of allspice. The palate is pure decadence. Medium to full-bodied, rich and generously fruited, this wine is by no means heavy—it positively glimmers with freshness and vivacity, lending an ethereal nature to all that richness and power, beautifully framed by velvety tannins and finishing with epic length. The generosity, layers and plushness make for an absolutely DELICIOUS drink right now, but I'd suggest waiting 3-5 more years for the fireworks to really begin. robertparker.com (22.10.2020)

Service : Serve at room temperature (16-18°C) to accompany a spider steak with caramelized onions and wild berries.