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Bordeaux 2017: Château Angélus

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

Château Angélus has made vivid, beautiful wine in 2017. The property reports that only a small part of the vineyard was affected by the April frosts. The remaining fruit benefited from the consistent weather during flowering and the hot June spurred vine growth. The vitality of the wine owes its origins to the dry but coolish summer, which helped the grapes retain freshness and acidity, as well as bright aromas. The relatively precocious state of the vineyards unaffected by frost meant that the vintage was relatively early, somewhat encouraged by the rainy period in September. Carillon d’Angélus also looks impressive in 2017. Château Bellevue is wonderfully lush and deep, almost irresistible at present. Château Daugay is soft and forward. Certainly there is plenty of joy to be had here in 2017 across the range of wines owned and managed by the de Boüard family.

The following detailed notes were taken following tastings on Sunday, 8th April, 2018 at Château Angélus. I hope you find them useful.

Dame de Boüard, Montagne St Emilion, 2017

Mid red; legs; deepish core; violet lifted; perfumed; some spice; works well on the aromatics; sweet entry on the palate; cherry; rounded; spicy; easy; soft; falls away at the end; but easy. [100% Merlot]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2022-2027. 87-88

Château Clos de Boüard, Montagne St Emilion, 2017

Deepish; earthy red at edge; dark centre; more sturdy and serious; black fruits but with freshness and polish; savoury edge; has grip and chew; crisp acidity; freshness; this is quite crystalline; lacks bit of depth currently [will almost certainly fill out] but has the energy and freshness. [100% Merlot]. Tasted 8/4/18. 88-90

Château Bellevue, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé, 2017

Deep and saturated look; colour tight to the rim; fresh and deep aromatics; plums and black cherry but zap too; some violet lift; attractive and sweet but also sour cherry; nice combination; ripe entry to the fruit; has depth but ripe and open; not gone for extraction but for openness; little lacking in density in the middle but good; nice finish; will doubtless fill out further but like the zap and energy on the finish. Great length! [100% Merlot]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2022-2033. 93-94+

Château Daugay, St Emilion, St Emilion Grand Cru, 2017

Nice healthy red purple at edge; full and sweet; quite Bordeaux; like this; has freshness; some leaf and undergrowth but real satin and red fruit notes; soft entry; sweet and ripe; full; easy on the palate; nice full fruit and flavour; good extract; has length. [74% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2020-30. 89-91+

Carillon d’Angélus, St Emilion Grand Cru, 2017

Mid red/purple; dark at centre; not as tight to the rim as Angélus below; lovely open nose; violets; plums; lovely pain grillé tones with ripe plum lift; nice seam of fruit; nice entry; sweet but layered with lovely cool fruit and violet notes; this works really well – one of the most forward Carillons I’ve had from memory. Quite intense; impressive; inky finish. Some chew and coffee on the back end. [90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2023-2035. 92-94.

Château Angélus, St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, ‘A’, 2017

Deep and black; legs; colour tight to the rim; earthy purple edge; deep and saturated; bold aromas; pure with savoury notes; [real savoury notes this year]; some violet lift from the oak and perfumed fruit; sweet entry; to a degree easy on the mid-palate; not gone for power but supple elegance; works for me; has chew and depth; warmth on the finish too. [70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2023-2040. 94-96+

Château La Fleur de Boüard, Lalande de Pomerol, 2017

Mid depth; deep at centre; some purple at edge; savoury; lifted perfume; nice qualities; pain grillé; ripe red fruits; had structure; some chew; but fresh and vivacious; has energy and purpose; gone for zappy freshness; nice fresh finish with punctuation. Zap. [100% Merlot]. Tasted 8/4/18. Drink 2023-2030. 9!-92+

Bellevue: A beauty in 2017

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