Château Angélus St Emilion Grand Cru Premier Grand Cru Classé A 2012

If any wine in the tasting fits the ‘exuberant’ personality of a Year of the Dragon wine, it is this Angélus 2012 that is barely getting out of the starting gates at 12 years old. Confident and powerful, with supple tannins that are still holding the dominant blackberry, damson, pomegranate and grilled sandalwood character in line. As things open, smoked vanilla bean, espresso, tuermic, black chocolate and orange peel join them, layered and complex. Will benefit from another five years in bottle before reaching its full drinking window, or give it a good long carafe. This was the year that Angélus was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, a position that would only last a decade until they withdrew from the classification in 2022. Hubert de Bouard owner, Emmanuelle Fulchi techincal director.