Terroir
At Château Angélus, the vineyard is located in a cirque, on the hillside and the southern hillside of Saint-Emilion, which concentrates hot temperatures in the summer, increasing precocity. The soil is naturally drained by the slope. The good distribution between clay and limestone allows for a regular supply of water and minerals. The percentage of clay, measured between 8 and 20%, makes these soils warm and precocious places. The rootstocks are perfectly adapted to the terroir and the grape varieties are distributed according to the soils: merlots on the hillside (more clayey) and cabernets francs on the sandy-clay-limestone soils at the foot of the hillside.
Winemaking
In inverted conical stainless steel vats, filling and extraction work by gravity. Pre-fermentation maceration at 8°C, alcoholic fermentation temperatures up to 28°C, post-fermentation maceration at 28-30°C, for 1 to 3 weeks.
Ageing
16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, fine grain, medium toast, 60% new and 40% in barrels of a wine.
Varietals
Merlot : 90%
Cabernet franc : 10%
Specifications
Surface area of the vineyard : 18.00 ha
Tasting
The Merlot wines, with their purple reflections, reveal delicate notes of flowers and small juicy black berries. The lively and sensual palate is enhanced by the spicy notes of Cabernet Franc, resulting in a wine full of tension, aromatic complexity and delicacy.
Reviews
James Suckling
Decanter
Vinous