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2012 Château Angélus, St Emilion, Bordeaux

  • Red
  • Dry
  • Full Bodied
  • Merlot (55%),Cabernet Franc (45%)
Ready - youthful
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
94/100
Neal Martin MW
94/100
Julia Harding MW
17.5/20
18/20
Robert Parker
94-96/100
Product: 20128004341
2012 Château Angélus, St Emilion, Bordeaux

Description

Having finally achieved his ambition last year to raise Ch. Angélus to the Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” status – St Emilion’s equivalent of becoming a First Growth – Hubert de Boüard was determined to produce a wine worthy of the elevation. As he put it: “We’re a first growth now, so we have to produce a wine that will rank alongside the other great wines of Bordeaux”. He’s succeeded. In a strange way the vintage, so problematic for many, may have helped him, but he still required nerve to rely on the quality of fruit coming from his vineyard and resist over extraction. He allowed the Cabernet Franc to play its usual part in the final blend, discarding the small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon altogether, but not falling back too heavilly, as so many did on the Right Bank, on the riper Merlots. This is the most subtle Angélus I can remember, very concentrated, powerful and rich, but with  a purity of fruit  that helps it to shine out.
Simon Berry, Chairman
Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2012
Maturity Ready - youthful
Grape List Merlot (55%),Cabernet Franc (45%)
Body Full Bodied
Producer Château Angélus

Critics reviews

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW 94/100
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Angelus comes barreling out with notions of Indian spices, dried mulberries, and prunes with hints of camphor, cardamom, and cigar box. Medium to full bodied, the palate has a sturdy structure of firm, chewy tannins and plenty of freshness to support the exotic, spice-laced fruit preserves flavors, finishing on a lingering mineral note.Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent (February 2023)
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, TheWineIndependent.com (Feb 2023)
Neal Martin MW 94/100
Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2012 Angelus has a forward and generous bouquet of mulberry, boysenberry, orange rind and slithers of tangerine. It is undoubtedly detailed and energetic, a subtle marine scent surfacing with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded and supple tannin, slightly honeyed in texture yet with a keen line of acidity running through it. Impressive body and mass, yet primal, surly and broody. Perhaps only now is it starting to flex its muscles. This is a well crafted and opulent Saint Emilion with a long future ahead and it may warrant a higher score in the future. Those who cellar this for over a decade will see this in full flight. Tasted December 2016.Neil Martin - 01/03/2017
Neal Martin MW, (Mar 2017)
Julia Harding MW 17.5/20
Inky with black core. Sweet charred oak is the first impression. And the second. But there is finesse to the tannins and some nice (hidden) dark fruit. Firm grip on the finish and just about fresh, though it is very hard to judge this wine now when the oak is all dominant. Tannin texture is very fine and I am sure this will become elegant if you can be patient enough and wait for the oak to subside. Too oaky for my taste but I know it will be admired by others. julia_harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 26 Apr 2013
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2013)
18/20
More elegance and less power this year. Modern in concept but not a blockbuster. Fragrant and fresh on the nose. Palate ripe and round. Fine tannic frame.
Decanter.com
Robert Parker 94-96/100
Owned by Hubert de Bouard, the 2012 Angelus was harvested between October 8-18, yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the natural alcohol was over 14%. The final blend was 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the superstars of the vintage, the dense opaque purple/blue-colored 2012 offers up notes of barbecue smoke, graphite, charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, sweet cherries and forest floor. With terrific fruit intensity, a powerful, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel and full body, it should be drinkable at an early age given the sweetness of the tannin. It should easily evolve for 15-20 years. robert_parker - Wine Advocate #206 - Apr 2013
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Apr 2013)

About this wine

Merlot

The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
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Château Angélus

Château Angélus is one of the largest and most prestigious estates in St Emilion. It was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A status in the 2012 reclassification. The de Boüard family has made wine here since 1782. The estate is now run by eighth-generation Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, who took over from her father, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, and uncle, Jean-Bernard Grenié, in 2012. It is located in centre-west of the St Emilion appellation, due west of the medieval town.
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