2024, Château Angélus, SAINT-ÉMILION, 1er Grand Cru Classé 'A'

Last year EP $570.00-

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc.

Under the leadership of Hubert de Bouard since the mid 1980s, Angélus has been one of the superstars of Saint Emilion, producing modern-style, deep, concentrated and ripe wines full of richness and fruit.

The 2024 Angelus is very fine. It is the first vintage I have tasted that captures the newer approach at Angelus, one where the wines are not as extracted as in the past. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather and menthol fill out the layers effortlessly. Here, too, the wine shows superb balance and real textural presence. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, with the Merlot being raised in 80% new oak and 20% once-filled barrels, and the Cabernet Franc in equal parts foudres and new smaller French oak barrels. The 2024 is mid-weight, classy and polished. Drink 2030-2054.
93-95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.

Vivid plum colour, cedar and gun-smoke on the opening, skilfully and carefully put together, slim through the palate, but this is very clearly finessed, sleek, with quiet confidence, and pumice stone texture, cherry pit, squid ink, damson, rosebud, Cabernet Franc dominant in terms of its floral aromatics. 39hl/h yield, 40th anniversary vintage of Hubert de Böuard. This will for sure be ready to drink earlier than many vintages of Angélus, but it is well structured and will age for many years to come.
94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux.

 This has an intriguing bouquet that deserves a little more reflection than some of its peers. Black olive tapenade alongside dark berry fruit in what you might describe as a "cool" nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. The 2024 is certainly a more linear Angélus, saline with a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. It gains modest depth on the graphite-tinged and Cabernet-driven finish. This is well-crafted. It will be an enjoyable Angélus rather than a profound one destined for long-term aging. 2029 - 2045
91-93 Neal Martin, Vinous.

Cropped at a very honourable 40 hectolitres per hectare, the 2024 Angélus has turned out well, offering up aromas of dark berries, minty plums and violet, framed by a deft touch of toasty oak. Medium-bodied, ample and suave, it's polished and textural, with sweet but present tannins and creditable persistence on the finish.
90-93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate.