Chateau Angelus Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2003 750ml

I had this wine from my cellar, as well as at a tasting in Zurich in February of 2015. It is one of the handful of 2003s I bought from the Right Bank of Bordeaux in this vintage. Angelus really nailed the vintage, and has produced a fully mature wine that’s truly strutting its stuff. Dense, bluish/purple, it offers gorgeous notes of espresso roast, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, acacia flowers and a touch of chocolate. It is full-bodied, opulent and seems close to full maturity, as it is evolving quickly. The wine is full-bodied, rich and should be drunk over the next decade.

• Country: France
• Region: Bordeaux
• Appellation: Saint Emilion
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red

Varietal

Red Bordeaux

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world’s finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six ‘official’ Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act ”“ the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.