Angelus 金鐘 2017 (6x75cl OWC)

Description

By Jane Anson od Decanter in 2018 (JA96)
Emmanuelle has been making wine here for 22 years now. The freshness of the Merlot in 2017 reminds her of 2001 – I would certainly agree, and maybe with a hint of 2014 too. It’s a beautiful wine, voluptuous but elegant. These vines were not frosted, but the Cabernet Franc produced less than usual, and they also made an extremely careful selection overall, leading to a yield of 30hl/ha. The wine has great complexity, which is a standout character in 2017, with bilberries, charcoal and plush damson – the Angelus signature of power and glamour. There is good tannic density here and it will clearly merit long ageing. 85,000 bottles of Angelus produced representing around 80% of total production. Matured in 100% new oak.
Drinking Window 2027 – 2040

By Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Wine Independent in 2022 (WI96+)
Angelus 2017 is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and has a deep garnet-purple color. It prances out of the glass with gorgeous redcurrant jelly, black cherry preserves, and scents of wild blueberries, plus wafts of lilacs, forest floor, and crushed rocks, with a touch of camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great tension and bags of youthful red and black berry flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.

By Jeb Dunnuck in 2020 (JD97)
The top wine here is terrific, and the 2017 Chateau Angelus is in the top two or three wines on the Right Bank. Checking in as 70% Merlot and a full 30% Cabernet Franc, it shows the slightly more elegant, polished style favored at the estate these days yet still packs ample richness and depth. Deep purple-hued with awesome creme de cassis-like fruit as well as plenty of unsmoked tobacco, new saddle leather, white truffle, and white chocolate aromas and flavors, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a wine of power and elegance. You could be excused for drinking bottles even today, but ideally, it should be given 7-8 years of bottle age, at which point it’s going to evolve for 25-30 years.

By Wine Spectator in 2018 (WS96)
This is jazzed up a bit, with dark anise and black tea aromatics leading off, followed by juicy blackberry, boysenberry and bramble notes. Has some flashy spice on the finish and some expensive-feeling toast, but everything is in lockstep as this moves along.

By Wine Advocate in 2020 (WA95)
Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Angélus wafts slowly, sensuously out of the glass with notes of warm red currants, Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and pencil shavings with nuances of rose oil, black tea, cloves and cumin seed. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully elegant and refreshing, sporting very finely grained tannins and layers of red and black fruit preserves, finishing long with mineral fireworks. What a beauty!