2021 Château Angélus

Chateau Angélus's 2019 offering demonstrates the estate's ability to excel in increasingly warm growing seasons. A mild spring led to even flowering, but June brought a heatwave that required precise vineyard management to prevent sun damage. Timely rains in July and August refreshed the vines, while a dry, warm September allowed for optimal ripening of both Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The result is a wine of remarkable balance, combining the ripeness of a warm year with the classic freshness and structure that Angélus is known for.

The 2021 vintage from Chateau Angélus showcases the estate's skill in navigating one of the most challenging vintages in recent memory. Severe spring frost in April significantly reduced yields across Bordeaux, including at Angélus. The summer was unusually cool and wet, increasing disease pressure and requiring meticulous canopy management and green harvesting to ensure proper ripening. Despite these obstacles, the experienced team at Angélus made rigorous selections during harvest and vinification, producing a wine that beautifully reflects both the terroir and the unique character of this testing vintage, with a focus on elegance and aromatic complexity.

Perfect summer conditions and cool nights allowed for steady ripening across the estate's clay-limestone slopes and côtes. The old vines, particularly Cabernet Franc in the natural amphitheater, reached optimal maturity under clear autumn skies. The wine displays profound black fruits, graphite, and limestone notes with remarkable tension between power and freshness.

Historic summer heat challenged Saint-Émilion, yet the estate's clay-limestone slopes provided crucial water reserves during severe drought. Early August harvest preserved freshness, particularly in the amphitheater's old-vine parcels. The wine shows concentrated black fruits, dark spice, and mineral notes with remarkable power from this unprecedented vintage.

Intense summer heat concentrated fruit on the estate's clay-limestone slopes, while deep soils sustained vines through drought conditions. The amphitheater's natural ventilation provided crucial cooling during the warmest periods. The wine reveals profound black fruits, dark spice, and crushed stone notes with remarkable density characteristic of this solar vintage.

Early growth was followed by slow ripening due to August and early September weather, preserving freshness and aging potential. Healthy, perfectly ripe grapes allowed for meticulous harvesting. The resulting wines are dense with vibrant fruit aromas and subtle toasty notes, offering balance and elegant freshness.

These wines exhibit a deep, inky black color. Their nose reveals fresh, ripe fruit aromas that avoid any hint of jamminess. The bouquet is dominated by pure notes of red cherries, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate they display lovely concentration with substance, but are in no way heavy. Their silky tannins balance perfectly with their supple richness. These wines are powerful and concentrated, but velvet smooth and subtle too.