Château Angelus: 5 things to discover

1- Château Angelus is a mecca for Saint-Emilion wine

Château Angelus is a French wine estate located in the South of France. This château produces Bordeaux wines under the Saint Emilion appellation and has been classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the Saint Emilion classification since 2012, previously Premier Grand Cru Classé B (1954). The vineyard is in the heart of a natural amphitheater, dominated by the three churches of Saint Emilion. The grape varieties are mainly Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (47%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%) in addition.

Since 1782, eight generations have succeeded one another. Indeed, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was Maurice de Boüard de Laforest who inherited Château Angelus. After purchasing three hectares in 1920, which he named “l’Angelus”, he passed on the management of the estate to his two sons.

It was in 1945 that Jacques and Christian Boüard de Laforest continued the family traditions in working the vines on the estate.

In 1985, the estate had more than twenty hectares of vineyards. Efforts that paid off for the two brothers, who continued to highlight Château Angelus and advance its rise. The same year, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest (son of Jacques) took over the management of the estate. He was joined a few years later by Jean-Bernard Grenié and his daughter Stéphanie Boüard-Rivoal. She is the third woman to head up the management of Château Angelus since its creation. A highly renowned estate within its Saint Emilion appellation, the Château owes its success to the Boüard family.

In March 2018, the Château’s management announced the conversion of its entire vineyard to organic farming. This will be completed in 2023. The estate is the first Grand Cru Classé A in Saint Emilion to convert to organic farming.

2 – The Château at the Musée d’Orsay

The bells of Château Angelus rang every day morning, noon and evening. These sounds of bells sounded the hour of meditation for the peasants working in the fields near the estate. Jean-François Millet, famous French impressionist painter, produced an oil on canvas representing this sacred moment. A man and a woman interrupting their potato harvest, leaving pitchfork and basket on the ground to perform a prayer.

This religious act reminds us of the Angel’s greeting to Mary at the Annunciation. From then on, this prayer took the name “Angelus”, just like the name of the work, exhibited at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

3 – The bell, a true symbol of the Château

Present on the labels of Château Angelus bottles, the bell recalls the moments of contemplation of the eponymous prayer. It is also and above all the symbol of the Château .

Even if it is touched up in gold and modernized behind its elegance, it expresses the values of tradition and high standards, in the service of the reputation of Château Angélus, and embodies a real identity.

4 – Château Angelus produces a second wine

Like many Bordeaux estates, Angelus has the specificity of producing a second wine.

The second wine “Carillon de l’Angelus” was born with the 1987 vintage. It comes from different plots of land from the grand vin, from younger vines. However, the second wine benefits from the same know-how brought to the grand vin.

In addition, Angelus also offers a third wine called “N°3 d’Angelus”. It has also been producing a new wine “Tempo d’Angelus” since 2018.

5 – Angelus has several exceptional vintages

Château Angelus has had several years of excellence. The Château’s best vintages are undoubtedly: the 1989, 1990, the wines of 1995, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014 as well as the 2015 vintage.

Our selection

Château Angelus 1989

Robert Parker 96/100 – Tasting january 2003

“A great Angelus and one of the two or three best vintages from the young talent Hubert de Boüard, this wine still has a young, satiny ruby-purple color and a soft nose of melted liquorice mixed with crème de cassis, tapenade, cedar, spice box and vanilla. Very full-bodied, opulent and rich, this is one of the 1989s that justifies the high reputation of this vintage. »

Château Angelus 2006

Robert Parker 95/100 – Wine tasting august 2015

“Here is another sleeper from the Hubert de Boüard vintage. […] Dense purple, with notes of boysenberry, blueberry and black raspberry, licorice, chocolate and a touch of barbecue smoke, a little graphite also makes an appearance in this full-bodied and opulent wine that seems mature much like the 2001. Drink it over the next 20-25 years.”

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