Le Carillon d'Angelus 2018

Appealing aromas of baking spices; full-bodied entry, elegant development, rather fiery finish; excellently made.

Composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Le Carillon d'Angélus, medium to deep garnet-purple in color, rolls out of the glass with upfront notions of baked plums, stewed black cherries and raspberry pie, plus hints of potpourri, Chinese five spice, tilled soil and tobacco leaf. The medium- to full-bodied palate is generous and spicy, supported by soft tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.

Lifted and spicy on the nose with a splash of dark fruit, the wine affirms its style with freshness, clean lines and a lightness of touch. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of depth and the tannins have been finely worked, the 60% new oak well integrated. It has early appeal but will age. Produced from fruit from three separate parcels: close to Angélus, behind Figeac and at St-Christophe-des-Bardes.

Wild-strawberry, blackberry and blueberry aromas with some spices and herbs. It’s full-bodied with a balance of firm yet elegant tannins. The savory mid-palate leads to a clean finale with serious length. Hard not to drink this now, but it needs four or five years to show its true excellence. Second wine of Angelus. Try after 2025.

As explained in my original notes from barrel, the 2018 Carillon d’Angélus is augmented by an additional eight hectares from recent acquisitions: three hectares in Tour St. Christophe and five hectares between Cheval Blanc and Figeac. This has developed on the nose, gaining a little more precision and revealing blackberry, raspberry, orange peel and light rose petal scents, the new oak still beautifully integrated. The palate is very well balanced with grainy tannins, and velvety-smooth. Just a faint graphite element tinctures the black fruit, and there is an almost Left Bank structure to the briny finish. Excellent.

Better in bottle than in barrel, this stellar baby version of Angelus hits all the right marks. Lushly textured, rich, ripe, opulent and forward, all the sweet, ripe, plums, cherries, licorice and cocoa feels like pure silk on the palate. Enjoy this while waiting for Chateau Angelus to mature. The wine was made from 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.

I loved the 2018 Carillon D'Angélus. This Merlot-dominated blend (there's 15% Cabernet Franc) offers a healthy ruby/purple color as well as a complex, smoky bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, tobacco, and a kiss of earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it has a sexy, seamless texture, polished tannins, and the class to drink nicely for 15 years or more.

85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple. Fragrant wild berries paired with noble spice, perfumed pipe tobacco and dark precious woods. On the powerful palate, a tightly knit body with fine, crunchy notes and crumbly extract. Encapsulated finish with plum skin and dark cherries.

(85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc) Powerful, mineral, austere bouquet, black berries, currants, licorice, dark chocolate. Velvety, fruity, full-bodied palate with powerful, sweet fruit, dense structure, complex aromatics, fine tannins, long, creamy finish. 17/20 2024 - 2036

An excellent vintage at this Saint‑Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, but the main wine is nowhere near ready to approach. I suggest looking instead at the second wine, Le Carillon d'Angélus. Expect stewed spiced plums, raspberry and black‑cherry fleshy fruit, and a ton of smoked earth, liquorice and slate. Still young at three years old, this will already deliver with a good few hours in a carafe, but there’s no rush to open. 50% new oak. The first vintage that includes the newly expanded vineyard footprint, with plots in Saint‑Christophe‑des‑Bardes and a large area near Cheval Blanc and Figeac.

The 2018 Carillon d’Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps from the glass with scents of baked black cherries, stewed plums, and mulberries, plus hints of fragrant earth, cinnamon stick, and dried roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm and chewy with a slightly hard/bitter finish.

Beautiful sanguine, juicy fruit, dense and crisp, with lovely finesse and delicacy. Fresh yet structured tannins, though a bit massive within a voluminous tannic frame.

Inviting bouquet, delicately revealing its élevage. Juicy, appetizing attack. Beautiful aromatic expression through to the finish. An elegant wine, suave with silky tannins. Persistent finish.

Dark, intense color. Very aromatic nose with ripe, suave fruit. The palate is supple-bodied, caressing and suave, unfolding gently into a long, flavorful finish.