Chateau Angelus 2019

JAMES SUCKLING: "Redcurrants, sweet tobacco and flowers with some sandalwood. Very perfumed and floral. So pure. Full-bodied, yet so refined and layered, with a soft, compact palate and a crushed-velvet mouth-feel. Poised fruit at the end, together with fresh, rare wood and a light chocolate undertone to the aftertaste. This is open, yet there’s so much in reserve. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. Leave it in the cellar for at least eight years. Try after 2029."

WEINWISSER: "60 % Merlot, 40 % Cabernet Franc. Dichtes Purpur mit rubinroten Reflexen. Ein königliches, reifes sowie weit gefächertes Bouquet mit viel Wildkirsche, edler Würze vom Cabernet mit Rosmarin und Brasiltabak. Im zweiten Ansatz schwarze Johannisbeeren, Schlehensaft, Bleistiftmine und Eisenkraut. Am erhabenen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und supersoften Tanninen, wie Samt und Seide (Negligé), kakaoartiges Tannin, dann zeigt der «A» seine Kraft und besticht mit seinem David-ähnlichen Köper (Michelangelo) und einer magischen Rasse. Im gebündelten, lang anhaltenden Finale wirkt der Wein schlank wie ein Pfeil, der den Weg ins Schwarze findet, besticht mit schwarzbeerigen Konturen, tiefgründiger Terroirwürze, hier wurde dank der Dynamik ein neues Level erreicht – Chapeau, Stéphanie & Hubert!"

DECANTER: "Beautifully expressive nose, really so welcoming with hints of sweet red cherries, raspberries, milk chocolate and touches of perfume too - soft but really defined. On the palate there is such charming grip from the tannins and flavour that just takes hold straight away but not in an overly dominating way. It's smooth but precise, driven from start to finish. Softly chewy tannins coat the tongue with black fruit and some creaminess alongside excellent acidity that gives a mouthwateringly fresh and cooling aspect underneath the ripe red and black fruit flavours. This has real life and energy, bright with clear complexity and layers of fruit, oak and terroir that comes across as a spicy but also wet stone, mineral undertone. Seriously good. You almost want to drink this now and just capture all the elements going on but they'll continue to soften and integrate over time and also let the beautiful Cabernet Franc elements integrate and come more into play over time. A success in 2019. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050"

JEB DUNNUCK: "Based on a final blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Château Angélus is knockout stuff, and while I'm not sure it matches the perfect 2018, it's not far off. Gorgeous notes of redcurrants, blueberries, sandalwood, dried flowers, vanilla, and forest floor are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with medium to full body, a perfectly balanced, seamless mouthfeel, beautifully ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It doesn't have the sheer weight or richness of, say, the 1998, 2000, 2005, or even the 2009, but it doesn't lack for intensity or power, and it’s just a beautiful example of modern-day Saint-Emilion. It's already approachable (this was best on day two) yet will keep for another 30+ years."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. It prances out with showy notes of candied violets, star anise, and Sichuan pepper, leading to a core of juicy black plums and boysenberry preserves, plus wafts of iron ore and cedar. Full-bodied, rich, and seductive, the palate delivers loads of earthy layers and impressive restraint, supported by fine-grained tannins and finishing fragrant."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Intellectual hedonism is the name of the game here. Opaque ruby in color, the first thing you notice is all the just picked, spring flowers before moving on to all the smoke, fennel, espresso, black and red fruits and earthy nuances. Concentrated layers of velvety fruits are all over the place here with their continuous display of red and black fruits. The finish, with its cashmere tannins and vibrancy sticks with you for over 50 seconds. This stunning wine is going to age and evolve for decades and will be seen as one of the top vintages of Chateau Angelus. Drink from 2034-2055."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2019 Angélus bursts from the glass with a rich, dramatic nose of cherries, licorice, sweet spices and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, layered and vibrant, its broad and velvety attack segues into a layered, concentrated mid-palate that's underpinned by tangy acids and fine, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Its seamless, pure profile reflects the subtle shift chez Angélus away from the rich, toasty style of the 1990s and 2000s toward greater elegance and precision."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "The most refined Angélus I think I’ve ever tasted. Almost streamlined but with trademark colour, depth and imprint of tannin. Pure, fresh and fragrant with dark fruit and spice aromas. Smooth and saline on the palate with real line and length. Pure and precise with no exaggeration but a firmness of structure evident. One of the best from this estate."