Château Angélus 2017, Saint-Émilion 1° Grand Cru Classé A - Parker 94-96

Winemaker and Vineyard: The Angelus vineyard is located at the heart of a natural amphitheater, dominated by the three churches of Saint-Emilion. Within this privileged site, where sounds amplify, one could hear the bells tolling the Angelus in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. They marked the working day in the vineyards and villages, with men and women pausing from their labors to reflect for a few moments. At Angélus, the vineyard is situated in a natural amphitheater on the southern slope and foothills of Saint-Emilion, which concentrates the warmth of the summer and increases early ripening. The soil is naturally drained due to the slope. The balanced distribution between limestone and clay, ranging from 8 to 20%, ensures regular water and mineral supply. The rootstocks are ideally suited to the terroir, and the grape varieties are distributed based on the soil type: Merlots on the slope (more clayey) and a significant proportion of Cabernet Francs (46% of the vine variety) on the clay-limestone soils of the foothills.

Tasting: Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Angélus wafts slowly, sensuously out of the glass with notes of warm red currants, Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and pencil shavings with nuances of rose oil, black tea, cloves and cumin seed. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing, sporting very finely grained tannins and layers of red and black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral fireworks. What a beauty! robertparker.com (Oct 15, 2020)

Service: Serve at room temperature (16-18°C) to accompany a duckling with orange and wild honey.