Château Angélus is a historic, family-owned winery specialising in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux. The winery sits on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Saint-Émilion in the department Gironde. The producer takes its name from the Angélus bells of nearby churches in Saint-Emilion, Mazerat, and Saint-Martin. The Angélus style is the result of bold decisions on vine varieties as well as outstanding terroir. Here, the grapes – a large portion of which are Cabernet Franc – grow on amphitheatre-like south-facing slopes and the foot of these slopes, where summer temperatures are concentrated and growth starts earlier. Soils comprise enough clay and limestone to offer up a steady supply of minerals and water; plus, the slopes help with soil drainage. This terroir suits the vines’ rootstocks, and the grapegrowers distribute vine varieties according to soil type: Merlot on the hill, where there is more clay, and Cabernet Franc on the sandy clay-limestone soils at the foot of the hill. At Angélus, Cabernet Franc has always been popular, with vines reaching their peak at 20 years old. However, Angélus achieves its most spectacular results with fruit from low-yielding vines older than 40 years.
