Chateau Angelus

Château Angélus, formerly known as Château L’Angélus (until 1990)  is situated near the town of Saint-Emilion, on the right bank of the Bordeaux area. The name Angélus is derived from a piece of land where the Angélus bells can be heard ringing simultaneously from three local churches: the chapel in Mazerat, the church in Saint-Martin-de-Mazerat and Saint-Émilion.

History

At the heart of Château Angélus lies a vineyard situated in an exceptionally favourable location at the entrance to the village of Saint-Émilion, on the southern slope of the hill. Since 1782, the de Boir de Laforêt family has shaped this estate over several generations. The estate as we know it today took shape when, in 1910, the Domaine de Mazerat was bequeathed to Count Maurice de Boir de Laforest, and was subsequently expanded through the acquisition of Clos de l’Angélus in 1922.

Hubert de Boir, who took over the estate at the end of the 20th century, modernised viticulture and winemaking methods, introducing techniques such as fermentation in open vats, ageing on the lees and plot-by-plot selection. In 2012, Stéphanie de Boir-Rivoal, a representative of the family’s eighth generation, took over the estate, combining respect for the past with a transition to organic farming. In the same year, Angélus reached the pinnacle of the Saint-Émilion classification, achieving Premier Grand Cru Classé A status, a title it voluntarily relinquished in 2022 to distance itself from the official classification.

Vineyards

The vineyard covers 42 hectares, of which 27 hectares are classified for the production of grand cru wine. It is situated in a natural amphitheatre on the southern slope of Saint-Émilion; this configuration concentrates the summer heat and promotes early ripening. The vines are planted at a density of between 6,500 and 8,600 vines per hectare and are tended using traditional Girondin pruning with two branches, bud removal and manual thinning. Since 2018, the vineyard has been cultivated using organic farming methods, and draught horses are used to work certain plots.

Terroir

The soils are generally divided into clay-limestone soils at the top of the slope, well-suited to Merlot, and sandy-clay-limestone soils at the foot, where Cabernet Franc thrives best. The slope ensures a constant supply of water. 

Grape Varieties

The blend across the estate comprises approximately 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc holds a special place here, it is the hallmark of Angelus, with old vines over 60 years old yielding fruit of remarkable concentration despite relatively low yields.

Winemaking

Harvesting is done by hand and sorted by vineyard. Vinification combines tradition and innovation: fermentation takes place in open vats, and the wines are aged on their lees. Recent vintages are characterised by greater freshness and clarity, with large oak vats increasingly being used alongside traditional barriques to soften the heavier oak notes of previous years.

Wines

The estate produces four wines.

- Angelus, the flagship wine.

- Carillon d'Angélus, the second wine, has been produced since 1987 and is known for its fruity character and velvety tannins.

- No. 3 d'Angélus is a Merlot-dominated wine intended for early drinking.

- Tempo d'Angélus, launched in 2019, is made from grapes from plots in the Côtes de Bordeaux-Castillon area and is positioned as a more accessible entry point into the Angélus range. 

In 2012 the Château designed a special bottle to celebrate the promotion to “Premier Grand Cru Classé A”.

The best vintages

The legendary vintages of Château Angélus are: 1899 (the oldest bottle kept at their cellar), 1953, 1985, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2022.

For the movie lovers: bottles of Château Angélus also appeared in two James Bond movies; “Casino Royal” and “Spectre”.