What an astonishing year with, in six months, more rainfall than normally in a whole year! Except for a good flowering, the weather conditions made life difficult in the vines up till mid-July. While the estate is totally committed to its conversion to organic growing, the season proved difficult. However, constant vigilance, dogged determination, rigour and monitoring on a daily basis enabled us to overcome these difficulties and bring in, on the one hand, a normal-sized crop, and on the other, a magnificent one –an amazing feat given the context. From July 15th on, outstanding anti-cyclonic conditions set in and lasted right up till the end of the picking, the only interruption being a few necessary rain showers that arrived with perfect timing to restore the vines’ energy. While temperatures were high, they were never extreme, unlike the 2003 vintage, for example. The nights were cool, and the substantial water reserves brought by the spring rain, enabled excellent photosynthesis to take place. The grapes were able to ripen without ever being burned by the sun, resulting in a vintage marked by the freshness of its fruit character. At Angélus, with a harvesting tailored to the grapes’ ripeness, the thick-skinned berries reached perfect ripeness, producing refined, velvety tannins. The grape pips ripened very early, displaying a dark brown colour -a rare occurrence that merits mentioning, and which helped provide outstanding, stable polyphenol qualities. Despite the very hot summer, the acidities were maintained right to the end, giving the first wines tasted a sapidity, balance, freshness and elegance worthy of the greatest vintages. 

CHÂTEAU ANGÉLUS

Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé « A »

Magnificent freshness in the Merlot, a selection of very old Cabernet Franc planted on clay-limestone soils and gentle extraction during the vinification have combined to make this vintage a very great Château Angélus. A lovely depth of colour attracts the eye. Perfect aromatic purity (the fruit of precision work on a daily basis), together with notes of black fruit give great charm on the nose. On the palate, a sweet note gives way to elegant tension with refined, velvety tannins. The alcohol (below that of 2010) and the oak are perfectly integrated. The finish is lingering, underpinned by the elegance of the Cabernet Franc, by the purity of the fruit, and accompanied by delicate spicy notes.

2018 blend: 65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc

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CARILLON D’ANGÉLUS

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

This vintage once again confirms the identity of this wine. It reveals the characteristics that make up the terroir from which it comes. The colour is clean and dark, and the nose is bursting with aromas of wild berry fruit, black cherries and freshness. The palate is layered, dense with lovely tannins and has a long finish.

2018 blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc

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N°3 D’ANGÉLUS

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

The wine exhibits an attractive ruby-red colour, and the nose immediately reveals notes of red berry fruit and more specifi­cally redcurrants. The entry on the palate is smooth, juicy, full of charm; then well-defined tannins, particularly those of the Cabernet Franc, maintain a backbone that combines harmo­niously with the volume brought by the Merlot. The finish is elegant with some characteristic Cabernet Sauvignon notes of spice.

2018 blend: 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon