2017 Angelus

Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Very fragrant nose, full of cherry blossom, violet and spiced plums. There are bass notes of meaty oak too. The palate is lithe and crunchy, this feels full of Cabernet Franc. Graphite and dried herbs mingle with fresh red fruit. This is edgy and intense with just the right measure of weight and ripeness needed. Finely etched with some creaminess on the back end and highly refined tannins. (TP)

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!

In 2017, Angélus leans much more toward finesse than power. Dark cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and mint are all finely knit. The 2017 was just bottled the month before this tasting - normal by the château's standards but late for the Right Bank. Today, the 2017 is powerful, brooding and closed, especially in its aromatics. My impression is that it needs time to recover from its recent bottling.