2005 Chateau Angelus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe 750 ml

Once described by Robert Parker as “topflight wine and a must-buy for true Saint-Émilion lovers,” Chateau Angélus owes its success over the years to Hubert de Boüard, the sixth-generation owner whose strict fidelity to quality has inspired other producers in Saint-Émilion to up their game. Today his daughter Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal manages the estate.

Château Angélus’s greatness has been decades in the making. In the 1980s, they implemented green harvesting at de Boüard’s direction and also started a stricter selection for the Grand Vin. Their vineyard manager, Didier Vallade, grew up on the estate and has been working its vines for FORTY-FOUR years. They started using a sorting table in 1986.

In 2012, they were promoted to be one of only four “A-level” Premier Grand Cru Classé properties in Saint-Émilion. Then Angélus relinquished that status in 2022 out of protest with the governing body, following other local titans Cheval Blanc and Ausone.

This vintage, a blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc, is an all-time great collectible from a season rated 99 points by Robert Parker. Opportunities like this don’t come along often.