Château Angelus : Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Tips of the Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet 2022 Cuvée from Château Angelus

Tasting

This vintage is distinguished by its aromatic freshness, complex richness, and silky tannins.

An Exceptional Saint-Émilion Cuvée from Old Vines

The Estate

Founded in 1782, Château Angelus is an iconic Bordeaux estate located in Saint-Émilion. Spanning 32 hectares, it has been managed by the de Boüard family for eight generations. The vineyard, planted mainly with Cabernet Franc and Merlot, benefits from a unique clay-limestone terroir on the southern slope of Saint-Émilion. The name “Angélus” comes from the bells of the neighboring churches, symbolizing the estate’s heritage and identity.

The Vineyard

The cuvée “Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet” is produced from a single 0.5-hectare plot located in the historic heart of Angelus, at the base of the slopes of Saint-Émilion. The terroir consists of clay-limestone and clay-scree-limestone soils offering excellent water retention. The vines, over 70 years old, benefit from an ideal southwest exposure.

In 1921, Maurice de Boüard de Laforest married Élisabeth Bouchet, who grew attached to her adopted land and acquired the “Clos de L’Angelus,” the estate’s future name. Maurice replanted a parcel in Cabernet Franc, naming it “Bouchet” in honor of his wife, with the intuition that the geology would enhance this grape variety. After his death, Élisabeth took over and developed the estate, which she would pass on to their children.

The Vintage

After a mild, dry winter, an early bud break accompanied by frosts was controlled through appropriate measures. The mild, stormy spring provided ideal hydration, promoting rapid and promising fruit set. The hot, dry summer required meticulous work to maintain freshness and soil moisture, with a steady water supply until the end of August, supported by two nighttime storms. The summer of 2022, comparable to the great post-war summers, demonstrated the resilience of the terroirs and the Cabernet Francs, thanks to an old root system ensuring continuous water uptake. The vintage is distinguished by its aromatic freshness, complex richness, and silky tannins.

Winemaking and Aging

Winemaking for this Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet 2022 is carried out in concrete vats, respecting the estate’s traditional methods. The aging is distinguished by its 22-month maturation in foudre, marking an evolution in Angelus’s aging techniques. The wine is placed in barrels immediately after racking, allowing optimal integration between the wine and the wood.

Grape Variety

This exceptional cuvée is made exclusively from Cabernet Franc, also known as “Bouchet,” thus expressing the purity and authenticity of this emblematic Right Bank Bordeaux grape variety.