Château Angelus 2015

Stylish and true to itself, compact, dense, imposing, with distinctive temperament and character. Long, multi-layered finish with notes of leather, chocolate, spices, and black berries.

Dense, dark and muscular, featuring waves of warmed fig, plum and black currant paste that roll in with warm ganache, baker's chocolate and espresso accents. A huge swath of smoldering tobacco is brewing on the finish, which has a brooding feel, thanks to tannins that hit like a thunderclap at the end. If you've got time to wait... Best from 2028 through 2045. 8,750 cases made.

A vintage that favoured St-Émilion, and they have made the most of it at Angélus. There are signals of a hot year in the black cherry, cinnamon and fresh fig notes, given depth and complexity with cassis, cigar box, crushed stone and a freshly-crushed mint leaf finish, along with a tingling minerality that cuts through the exuberance and concentration of the vintage. Harvest September 22 to October 14. New cellar as of 2014 also.

Deep nose of damson plums and very ripe black cherries. Very ripe and concentrated with enormous, fine and powdery tannins. They guide the voluptuous and velvety palate out on its path towards a distant horizon. Very powerful and dense at the finish, but impeccably balanced. Yes, this is amazing to drink now, but it has so much potential. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

Everything is coming up roses here, on the nose. That is before finding all the truffle, espresso, dark chocolate, black cherry, smoke, spice, and plums on the nose. Rich, dense, and concentrated, the wine is voluptuous, ostentatious, and sexy. The velvet tannins feel just great as the wine flows over your palate. The finish just keeps on going. Opened in the name of science, this will really start rocking around 2027.

Deep, dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections and subtle rim brightening. Intense dark berry confit, fine nougat with a touch of liquorice and candied orange zest. Complex and lively on the palate with blackberries, ripe cherries, taut tannins and very good freshness. A long and persistent mineral and saline finish with savoury notes, ripe cherries and orange. Definite ageing potential.

50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. A large harvest with more than 100,000 bottles. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. Grand bouquet, defined by ripe Cabernets, dark roasted notes and plummy impressions, constantly gaining with air. On the second nose: cassis, mocha, licorice and plenty of dark noble woods. On the palate, a powerful delicacy: from refined nuances to full aromatic power, the entire spectrum is there. The core aromatics range from blue to black berries; the tannins are rich yet already rounded, still demanding; the finish is and remains almost hyper-aromatic for a long time. A great, thrilling Angélus with tremendous tension. I found many parallels with the 1998, and this 2015 could perhaps one day reach the maximum score.

STÉPHANIE’S FIRST VINTAGE At many estates, the bells of a new generation are ringing. At Angélus, it’s a full 20 bells. With the complete renovation, a carillon was installed. You are greeted at the Château door and asked your nationality. With the push of a button, your national anthem is chimed at once. You could even sing along heartily—if you know the lyrics. For Stéphanie de Boüard‑Rivoal, this was her first “own harvest” as Managing Director. We celebrated with her at the highly recommended restaurant Logis de la Cadène in Saint‑Emilion with several vintages of Angélus. 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. A large harvest with more than 100,000 bottles. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. Grand bouquet, defined by ripe Cabernets, dark roasted notes, and plummy impressions, constantly gaining with air. On the second nose: cassis, mocha, licorice, and plenty of dark fine woods. On the palate, a powerful delicacy: from fine nuances to full‑on aromatic power, the whole spectrum is there. The core aromatics range from blue to black berries; the tannins are rich yet already rounded, still demanding; the finish remains almost hyper‑aromatic for a long time. A great, thrilling Angélus with tremendous tension. I found many parallels with the 1998, so this 2015 may also one day earn the maximum score.

(62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc) Velvety, dense, fruity, and profound bouquet: black berries, tobacco, currants, fine licorice, noble woods. Powerful, subtly opulent, fruity, velvety palate with dense, sweet fruit, a multilayered, finely muscular, elegant structure, dark and diverse aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, very long, dense, full finish with strong lingering flavors. Can improve further. 19/20 2024 - 2050

The 2015 Angelus is Stephanie de Bouard‑Rivoal’s first vintage as CEO. It is a blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc and has a deep garnet color. It sashays out of the glass with gloriously opulent notes of Indian spices, sandalwood, and dried roses, with a core of stewed black and red plums, kirsch, and dark chocolate, plus a waft of licorice. Full-bodied, the palate is still tightly wound, delivering beautifully ripe, silt-like tannins and great freshness to frame the generous black and red fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.

The blackberry jam is adorned with an armada of shimmering tannins; the wood-driven ones signal the balance of grape ripeness in a 2015 whose sun-kissed profile is not so obvious, as the alcohol seems absorbed by the body. The display of freshness pays tribute to the great terroir but is not quite there yet.

The color is deep, with beautifully spicy aromas and black fruit. The wine is very dense, with a sumptuous mid-palate; the tannins are fine, and lovely licorice notes unfold on the finish. 62% merlot, 38% cabernet-franc.

96–98. Barrel Sample. This is a concentrated wine that has a sense of style, showing wonderful fruit and structure. It is powerful in tannins while the acidity also gives it lightness and poise. The quality of the Merlot in the blend this year has given the wine concentration while the Cabernet Franc has added its fragrance. This is a wine for long-term aging.