Opaque, blackish colour! Vibrant, energetic nose of creamy, vanilla black fruits! Dense, tight, youthful palate, tons of pure, spicy black fruits! Not fully mature yet in my book, but a very promising future!
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The complex set of aromatics kicks off with smoky cherries, figs, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, licorice, mint chip ice cream, and plum liqueur. Avoiding the often-encountered jamminess of the vintage, the wine offers a sensual, rich, luscious palate experience centered around chocolate-coated cherries, and black plums with salty caramel. The wine is long, concentrated, and showy. No decanting or further aging is required, just pop, pour, and enjoy over a few hours. Drink from 2024-2033.
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Wine of night at Angelus tasting event with 2006, 20011, and 2015. Great nose, terror middle fruit, long finish. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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Great aroma - I could spend all day sniffing this. On the palate there is opulent dark fruit, coffee, tobacco and an oak sheen. This is gorgeous, almost too much. It could be dialed down just a little, which oddly enough would make this wine more sensational. Still, Outstanding.
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Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
TN: Not much expression at first but not as ripe as the wines before. With time some coffee notes, some toast, ripe red berries, even some floral aromas. The best nose on the red bank tonight. Quite fresh, even a bit acidic on the palate with fairly fine tannins and an airy texture. Ripe red fruit and floral aromas along some minerality. Not overly complex and a bit astringent towards the finish but overall a good wine.
Decanting: This improved with air and I wonder if a solid 1-2 hours in the decanter would have improved things further.
Group average: 92.0 pts Group rank: Shared 10th out of 29 reds
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Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note: Beautifully aged and dense nose with dried leaves, dark cherry fruit, ripe and concentrated but in a pretty good way, nice tobacco flavors. A fruity palate which was nice, but a light mid-palate and rather dry finish keep me from getting more excited.
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Leather, cherry, cedar, earth on the nose. Plenty of bright fruit on the palate still, married fantastically with more secondary/earthy/forrest floor notes– rosemary and pine. Seamless transition between the two, if there even is a transition. They coexist the entire time. Medium body and acidity, moderate+ tannins.
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Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of quite ripe black fruits showing plums, blackcurrant over red berry underpin, polished oak, muted sweet spice, cream, a little caramel, alcohol lends a little peppery underpin. In the mouth there is medium plus intensity acidity which proves quite juicy, alcohol warmth, plummy fruit is broad, tannins are drying, slightly grainy but also quite polished. Less dried out that the last tasting but this still sits in the 'hmm' space for me.
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This was extremely good, but I might just be more of a left bank person. Served with an excellent filet. Extremely structured for a 19 year old wine, still some tannin and plenty of oak. Some spice, allspice, cloves or nutmeg on the nose. Needs an hour or two of air. Fruit starts to come out after an hour or two. Very dark fruit Cab Franc, pomegranate, mulberry and sour dark cherries. Personally I’d prefer a cheaper, younger second or third tier Margaux from a better year, but this is an excellent wine by any standard.
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Brought to CWG (blind) by Mark. This wine showed some age but on the palate is where the reward of time takes place. Nicely balanced, medium plus body and playful with too many notes to mention them all. It felt like a forest breeze from the Amazon…
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I've had this one cellared for 5 years after acquiring it at auction back in '17. I purchased it immediately after returning from a trip to Bdx and being exposed to many vintages from this great Chateau. This bottle did not disappoint. Cork removed 4-5 hours prior to taking to the restaurant to share with our wine group and dinner. In a great drinking window right now. Soft and integrated on all fronts. Great Bdx nose after the barnyard funk present on opening burned off by hour 4. Classic Angelus fruit profile with 57% cab franc and 43% merlot. Smooth is a good word. A small glass left in the bottle, no cork overnight and it is amazing how this wine has still held together! A 96 for me last night and right there again today almost 18 hours of air later....for an '03! Omg........
One of the finest Bordeaux reds we've ever tasted. Fabulous. Finesse, fruit, complexity, and balance are on display. Enjoy it now. It's been worth the wait.
🇫🇷 2003 Vieux Château Certan 🇫🇷 Lots of tertiary notes, ripe red berries, leather, sweet tobacco. Medium complexity, great balance. Drink up soon. 91/100 💵~200
🇫🇷 2003 Château Figeac 🇫🇷 Violets, dark plum, some meaty notes. Good complexity. A little too hot. Finish is a bit short. Drink now. 90/100 💵~200
🇫🇷 2003 Château Angelus 🇫🇷 Beautiful complexity and a lot of fruit power left. Grippy tannins and and super long finish. At least another 10 great years left. 94/100 💵~400
🇫🇷 2003 Château Cos d’Estournel 🇫🇷 Nice soft tertiary notes and lots of dark berries. Fantastic depth and structure. Powerful body. Long finish. In a great spot now. 95/100 💵~230
🇫🇷 2003 Château Montrose 🇫🇷 Ripe strawberries, cherries and wet ivy. Velvety tannins. Fantastic complexity and a great balance. Feels quite fresh and young, lots of good years ahead. 96/100 💵~230
🇫🇷 2003 Château Haut-Bailly 🇫🇷 Soft sweet notes in the nose. Alcohol is too hot and covering the fruit notes. Medium complexity, feels a little unbalanced. Drink now. 89/100 💵~100
🇫🇷 2003 Château Mouton Rothschild 🇫🇷 Great dark red fruits, some dry leather and tobacco - beautiful ripeness. Warm and velvety tannins. Fantastic complexity and length. In a perfect spot now. 96/100 💵~ 600
🇫🇷 2003 Château Lafite Rothschild 🇫🇷 Fantastic nose and palate with lots of elegant dark berries, tobacco leafs and lots of mineral style notes. Silky tannins. Very elegant structure. Incredible balance and complexity. Endless finish. At least another two great decades ahead. 97/100 💵~ 1.100
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Absolutely delicious! Decanted for about 3 hrs. Jim had with steak Diane. I had with blackened prime rib with whisky butter. Paired wonderfully with both. This is still young and vibrant and has several more years to go.
Coravin fun - Angelus & Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ripe plums over blackcurrant, caramel, sweet spice, a little red currant underpin & a touch of pyrazine, plain chocolate. With time a touch of dried cranberry, garrigue, leather and earth. In the mouth it has juicy medium plus intensity acidity, alcohol warmth is present but not too intrusive, tannins soft by drying on the gums, flavours of baked red plums with redcurrant, a little plain chocolate, the fruit is beginning to dry out a bit. Hmm
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Gorgeous and so much better than any previous bottle. Decanted for 3 hours and filtered out all the solids this time! What a difference as this beauty tasted so clean and complex with a mixture of red fruits and spices swirling in the glass. A great companion to Chateaubriand. It seemed fresh and lively after 18 years from the harvest.
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20 Vintages of Angelus (1988-2015): All wines tasted single blind. A few observations and conclusions: It seems that until more recently, Angelus focused on late picking, big wines with too much extraction. Most pre 2004 wines we tasted did not show well and are drying out or already have. The younger vintages showed better but only time will tell if the 2004 to 2015 vintages will age more gracefully. An experienced Angelus collector mentioned a style shift towards more finesse right after the promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classe A with the 2012 vintage. It would have been great to include more of the recent vintages (we had only 09/10/14/15) to better understand when and to what extent that shift happened. Still, there are some very good wines with the 2010 being the WOTN (rated 96+ pts, the structuredness, freshness and purity of the vintage shines through), narrowly ahead of the 2008 (96pts, these 2008 right banks are singing these days and are incredibly fresh) as well as two wines with 95 pts, the 2005 (slightly closed but lots of complexity and no structural deficits) and the 2015 (showcasing the stylistic shift: there aren’t many 2015s out there that share the light- and airiness and perfect ripeness level and purity with their respective 2010 counterparts).
TN: Ripe and slightly alcoholic nose with ripe dark fruit. On the palate this a touch acidic and again with very dry tannins but there is a lot of fruit left and beside the ripe fruit also some surprisingly fresh layers but the wine has not as much substance as the other in the series (00/01/02). 87 pts today at best, they clearly overdone like many vintages in that period. Also, this is the weakest 2003 Bordeaux I‘ve had to date.
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Angélus vertical (Fribourg): Angélus vertical of 20 vintages. Main observations were : 1/ Older vintages before the mid-2000s often suffered from drying tannin and showed a lot of extraction, 2/ Younger vintages quickly benefited from aeration hence decanting advised, 3/ the fruit profile became darker over time 4/ best vintage to drink today: 2004. All wines were directly poured with no prior decant and served in flights of 4.
Tasting note: Not as expressive as 2002, but with a similar profile showing nicely extracted, ripe fruit. Palate was nice and juice, however plenty of tannin and acidity made it hard to enjoy.
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The 2003 Angelus really shows the power and finesse of truly excellent St. Emilion. Intense, earthy, funky, with still ample dark fruit, and a powerfully long finish. Pick your palate - blackberry, tobacco leaf, slightly green notes, and loads of earth. Outrageously good.
WOTN. QPR 6 (of 10) [prices on this wine have gone insane]
Aging 2030 at least
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Perfectly ripe, velvet-drenched plums hit the spot. Rich, concentrated, sensuous and long, the wine hits all the right notes from start to finish. There is no touch of heat or jammy characteristics. This hedonistic treat is close to full-maturity, where it should remain for at least another 12-15 years. If you have a bottle and have been waiting for the right time to pop a cork, your wait is over.
The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Fully developed nose displaying rich red fruit, strawberry jam, cherry, plum, a hint of dry cherry, stewed tomato, strong mint, tobacco, sweet spices and earth. Fully integrated palate, finely layered very ripe red fruit, rich, warm and round but also silky and fluid, medium acidity, earthy mineral a medium long ripe red fruit driven finish with mint and tobacco at the end. Although it shed a lot of the 03 ripe expression, there is a hint of bitterness that I associate with the 03 vintage. It is drinking nicely.
We had this today w wonderful sweetbreads at Benoit in NYC. It was in its prime; we tasted it beside the 2004, a better vintage, and that will be a point or two higher than the ‘03, but not for 8-10 years. The ‘04 is still tight and tannic. The ‘03 was today in its prime drinking window: silky and fully integrated tannins, classic cab franc acidity, cedar humidor, sweet ripe black fruits of merlot, all enhanced by textural weaving of black minerals and a gentle hint of leaf mold. This has aged beautifully, and will drink at this peak for 2-4 years. While not an Angelus for the ages, it is now an angelic right bank beauty, food friendly, long, and it opens quickly with a scant one hour decant. Stored in cellar since release, so important w Angelus., and for most good bordeaux from this too hot year.
Opened for Thanksgiving 2020. Decanted for 4 hours, however, it didn't open up until the last glass, which was about 10 hours after popping the cork. Despite considerable sediment, it remained very dark ruby in the glass, with a slight gold rim variation, but it was barely there. Tannins were soft and dusty. Red fruits were still present, along with graphite, earth and eucalyptus, solid mid-palate, well-balanced with medium finish. Highly Recommended! The only reason I say 92 points and highly recommended, instead of higher, is I take into consideration QPR, which for this price point I would expect more, however, this is still an excellent wine.
Drank during a zoom with the chateau alongside the 2004 and 2014. All three wines were excellent but drinking very differently. The 2003 had plenty of fruit that was just starting to mature, so smooth and integrated. I wish we had decanted longer (2+ hours) but delicious regardless. This will continue to age nicely and is very well done in a tough vintage.
Delicious and powerful. Pristine bottle, cork barely soaked. Dark ruby red. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over 2 hours. Tons of blackberries, cassis liqueur, spice, mint, licorice with solid backbone, very dense in the mouth, lots of life left, great acidity, long finish with tannins coated by the opulent and powerful fruit.
Outstanding. Soft mellow tannins. Still tons of fruit and well balanced with acidity. I agree with others, this has stuffing to age for at lest another decade. Just starting to take on tertiary flavors. My first experience with this wine. Will buy again.
Very good>Excellent. ~ 2,5 hours of air in decanter prior to service. It's everything I want it to be, and shows no worse for the vintage; quite amazing in that sense, really. Should continue to hold at this level for some time. The current CT drink thru of 2024 is not where I'd put this; should hold for another 10+ years at this level. That said, I'd tear through any remaining bottles far sooner than then as it's simply magnificent now, too. highly recommended
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A beautful wine, Angelus has been an inspiring wine for many years. Even wrote a jazz tune called Angelus on my recording "Giving Receiving" with Paulo Fresu.
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At the open Smells of dark deep purple fruit and earth Tastes of red fruit with lots of tannin
After 1 hour of decanting Smells of Black earth and a touch of mildew Tastes of light developing purple fruit with strips of grainy tannin; light yet closed with guarding weight
After 3 hours of decanting Smells of raspberries trapped in a well, sweet & dark Tastes of chocolate and raisins; light, but coating.
This was a fascinating evolution, but somewhat of a disappointment. We could find pieces of greatness, but they never completely came together. 3 hours of decanting is an absolute must.
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Although we liked this wine, I am not impressed with it given the professional review and user comments. This bottle never opened up to reveal much fruit. It featured more pencil lead and mineral elements that did not remind me of a right bank wine. I failed to decant it properly to remove the bountiful solids in the bottle and that may be the source of my disappointment. It held up very well for three days of tasting trials all with similar impressions.
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What a sexy beast! Supple, sensuous, lush, opulent and expressive, the wine offers intensity, concentration, vibrancy, purity and velvet laced tannins. This is beautiful today and should improve from here. But I am digging how this shows today.
Pretty darn close to "Wow" wine. Excellent depth, beautiful nose, medium body, coffee, tobacco, and a finish that goes on and on. No excessive heat, and surprisingly well balanced (in early tastings, I thought most '03 Right Bank Bordeaux to be short on acidity and a bit flabby. Probably approaching its drinking plateau earlier than most Angelus. Though not in imminent danger of fading, why wait.
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Had side-by-side with the ’03 Pavie. Both of these wines are big and a little blown out. The Pavie achieves more elegance and delineated structure but the Angelus has more rusticity. Loads of black fruit to both, vanilla and polish. I think the Pavie held up to the heat a little better and is showing more proper. Both good, short of amazing.
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Needs three hours after decanting. (Note to Napa fans - not everything can be popNpour). Integrated, smooth, soft tannins with impeccable high notes of roasted fruits and vanilla. In a parallel universe Angelus would be a first growth.
Whoa, this is a big wine. Clearly, 2003. The palate is dark, large in scale, with big, furry and coarse tannins. Not a model of elegance. And yet, at the same time, it stays controlled, in that the alcohol is not overt and the wine does retain a sense of proportion and restraint, especially when compared to other 2003s. I can't help but compare this wine to 2003 Chateauneuf which, to a great extent, is undrinkable to me, and sixteen years past the vintage, I wonder how many of the '03 CdPs are still alive, whereas this wine, while big and furry, actually needs more time to smooth out. This could very well mellow out and become great; it certainly has the fruit and the tannin. I wouldn't be surprised if in seven years, this is really excellent. Zachys auction at Smith & Wollensky.
Annual Coravin blitz - day two (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Compared to the other wines in this bracket this is very much the elder statesman. Polished plums, sweet spice, leather, slight pencil shavings and cedar. The palate is a reflection of the nose, tannins are chamois soft and travel ridiculously long It finishes with non-intrusive alcohol. Considering the vintage this a bravo from me.
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Rich, full-bodied (for Bordeaux), almost California style. Not bad but like most classified Bordeaux, if tasted blind it would command half the price at best.
A bit oakier than the bottle tasted earlier this year, time in the decanter helped to blunt much of that. The ripe, dense, sweet, black plums and cherries are accompanied by smoke, licorice, tobacco, espresso and wet earth. Lush, concentrated and with good density, this still has room for improvements.
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This sexy beast is drinking great today. Pure silk on the palate, with loads or richly textured, ripe, sweet, black cherry, plum, truffle, smoke, licorice and tobacco. No touch of heat, but the wine is maturing at a slightly more rapid pace than other, recent vintages.
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Château Angélus tasting with Hubert de Boüard (Wine Watch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Still showing young. Dark opaque ruby color. Lots of curry and spice on the nose, along with plum, cherry, truffle, earth, and dark chocolate. Still a little tight and ungiving on the palate. Dense, full-bodied, and very concentrated. Still has oak to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. I would probably hold this for a few more years, as it seems a bit closed at this stage.
Deep garnet with some browning at the edge Intense heat on the nose, aroma of sour apple, ceder wood, iron ore Medium acidity, seedy tannins, spice towards the finish with lingering seedy taste Ready to drink now
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Lovely wine that was fantastic with our meal of strip steak, vegetables and couscous. Beautiful nose, somewhat tannic body, great after-taste. Wonderful balance in all ways. Still somewhat tannic and indicative of many good years to come, but certainly drinkable now.
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One of the better wines from this scorching hot, vintage. The wine offers a blend of sweet, dark cherries, boysenberry, dark chocolate, licorice, smoke and truffle essences in the nose. Concentrated and refined, there is a beautiful softness in the texture, that allows you to enjoy all the ripe, sweet, fruit. There is sensation of jam, or heat, instead, you find a sultry, sexy, sensuously, textured finish. The can age further, but it is so good right now, if you have a few bottles, you should pop a cork.
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Among all the 03 bordeaux I had, this wine along with cos estournel are my fav. The nose is so charming with perfume, spice, sweet red fruit, cedar wood and truffle. Palate is a blend of modern and classic right bank bordeaux. Good intensity with a balanced fruit. Still tannic and oaky. With more time, the tannins and oak will integrate.
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Elegant wine with a lot going on. Still very nice color, and has continued to improve since our last tasting in 2012. Black cherries and black raspberries, currants. licorice, coffee, chocolate, leather, and floral hints. Very long finish, full bodied, and nice complexity.
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Decanted 2.0 hours then another 1.5 hours with cork removed. Deep dark opaque purple color. Sexy legs in the glass. Nose was violets, lavender, and black cherries. Great round mouth feel with full 30 second finish. Tasted blind and group ranked it top 2 of Bordeaux poured. All most all identified as Right Bank. The cab franc really shows well and is very characteristic of this producer. 98 points
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Decanted to remove the plentiful solids. Possibly the darkest wine I've had. This is a very complex wine. Initially it smelled of blackberries and black raspberry. Then it went away and came back with a roar. Tastes of dark fruits with some spice. It is so complex that it's hard to nail an accurate accounting of all that's thre. It's mouth-filling and clean. This is so amazing. The only disappointment is finish does not persist for very long.
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Honestly the best 2003 I have had, and one of the best overall wines I've had in many years. Inky black; huge nose; a mouthfeel that is liquid velvet or cashmere. Huge surprise!
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Nose - great nose. Boysenberry, dark plum wicked good Mouth - this wine is ... great! Impressive bold juicy fruit with a wet hay/earthy complexity reminiscent of the 90 montrose. This wine has flesh. Satin. Wow
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Wow this was a huge surprise to the upside! Still dark ruby. Very gloss and healthy looking. Very open and approachable from the outset. Cherry, milk chocolate and touch of earthy Christmas cake spice. Amazing mouthful, with globs of glycerin ripe fruit. I was surprised who balanced this wine was. No sense of heat or over-ripeness that many of the 2003s suffer from. Delicious. Great length, ripe, decadent fruit but not OTT at all. Elegance and charming. Big but in control. First growth quality. A must try Angelus.
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Right Bank Premier Grand Cru Classe "A" Bordeaux tasting (Karl's house): Still quite young. Dark opaque ruby color. Plum, tart cherry, truffle, earth, Asian spices, and chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate. Still has some noticeable oak undertones that need to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. Since it is still quite young, I would probably hold this for a few more years. It also deserves some time for its tannins to soften. This wine should be very impressive in ten years or so.
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From double magnum. Spicy, earthy on the nose with lots of rich, slightly stewed fruit. Very expressive and quite sweet - hints of chocolate, mocha. On the palate similarly sweet and rich. Layers of ripe, succulent fruit. Good acidity and slightly drying, coarse tannins. Very long. Drinking well, and I now don't think it will be for the very long haul. 91-93
Can a wine get any better than this? I wonder. This has the one of the most gorgeous bouquet I have ever smelt. The wine is amazing: powerful and dense, with an incredible elegance and a lot of freshness combined with a great acidity. Aromas of blackcurrant, cedar box, spices, mint, and graphite. Tanins are real cashmere, oh so elegant! It is pure, long and has a profoundess making it a real stunner. One the very finest wine ever tasted. Capable of an effortless 40/50 years of aging from now. Perfection in a bottle. Prodigious.
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Dark opaque ruby color. A dark and brooding wine right now. Dark plum, tart cherry, herb, truffle, flowers, Asian spices, and chocolate. Full-bodied and creamy on the palate. Still has some noticeable oak undertones that need to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. This wine is still quite young, and I would give this a few more years to start picking up its tertiary aromas. The balance is also not quite there, due to its prominent tannins. I am interested to see where this goes; the intriguing, exotic nose has me hooked.
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Fyllig, kraftig frukt, mörka bär, animaliska toner, tung fatkaraktär, välbalanserad och elegant, lyxig känsla. Stängd och torr initialt men öppnar upp efter en timme i glaset. Komplext stort vin.
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Huge wine from this really hot year. It took a couple hours of decanting. Thick blue and black fruits but also tons of leather and tobacco. A real mouthful with a 30 second finish.
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The truffle covered cherry nose draws you in and the soft, silky, smooth textures keep you there. Lacking the power and depth found in the top vintages, the wine is quite nice and can be enjoyed now, or aged for more complexities.
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Great wine. Drinking beautifully right now. Decanted and only had about 30 minutes of air before I tried it, but that was enough to see this is a great wine. Excellent nose. Can still age, but not sure it can get better.
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Concur with those who mentioned its modern style. That is not necessarily a negative comment. This wine tastes young and vigorous. It should have many years ahead of it. Rich red fruit abounds in this bottle along with French subtlety. We loved it at our Christmas dinner.
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Wow! Pop and pour- bam! Lovely blackberry bramble and oak with some minor vanilla undertone on the finish. Big bold mouthfeel with expansive mid palate and grippy tannin finish with secondary notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Kind of a blend of new world fruit and old world acidity and structure underpinning the whole thing. Drink now - it's in a prime window, although it has the structure to lay down another decade.
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Popped and poured. Very modern style but also very well made. Big red fruits, chocolate, smooth and easy to drink. I believe half is Cab Franc, which is surprising because the grape doesn't show through. Not good QPR, but it is a very nice drink I would be happy to have.
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Was not impressed by this when it was popped and poured on Thursday evening. Initial impressions were of a wine that had some interesting savoury/gravelly characteristics, but overwhelmingly ripe, almost roasted/jammy red and dark fruited flavours and a monolithic feel to the palate. A day of air completely transforms this though, and on Friday evening this showed far better with the fruit more restrained, and augmented by more savoury cedary, herbal, and exotic floral/spicy notes that had emerged. It's not a particularly high acid wine, but it feels lighter on its feet and more fresh the second day, and it's a real eye opener.
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2 1/2 hours decanted. Nose of black cherry, dark flowers. Crushed fruit on first taste? High viscosity, full bodied. Cassis, jammy thick, raspberry. Long finish. Years to go before it must be drunk...but loved it now.
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Opened right after the Les Forts de Latour from the same vintage, to celebrate my son's birthday who was born in 2003. Darker than the Les Forts and much more youthful with evident ruby hues. Expressive and clean nose with red plums, cherries, earthy minerality and herbal/green scents. Medium+ bodied with firm structure, clean and pure fruit and balancing (rather high) acidity. Remarkable freshness given the heat of the vintage. Long aftertaste. Quite enjoyable already but I would suggest further cellaring for another 5 years or more.
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Leve note about sums it up. In a great place right now. Amazing how much this wine changes from hour to hour. Needs lots of air. Very little to suggest Bordeaux, which is neither good nor bad. Point is that there is a welcome restraint here even though it leans toward CA. Will drink for many more years, but it may be as good as it will ever be from now over the next four years.
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One of my top five at the 2003 UGC tasting. Still in that ballpark, but this bottle is still unforthcoming - beautifully pure red fruit flavors with a new oak overlay evident, but the acid is still pronounced leaving a more or less closed and ungenerous wine on the palate. Will leave it on the sideboard overnight and see where we are tomorrow night. Something else will have to go to the New Years Eve dinner.
One day later offered more, but as the wag once observed, the future of this wine is very much ahead of it.
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Maturing at a more rapid pace than originally anticipated, the wine is soft, fleshy and round, offering jammy plum, dark cherry, truffle, cocoa and smoke on the nose. The supple textured finish delivers sweet fruits and jam. This is close to mature. There is probably no hurry to drink it yet, but there is not much reason to wait before popping a cork.
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Uitbundige neus met zoetig bosfruit, tabak. Goede structuur en balans, een elegante wijn (knap gezien de jaargang). Goed geïntegreerde tannines, lang aanhoudend.
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Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: Rustic bouquet with dark forest fruits, smoke and luxurious oak. On the palate cassis and luxurious oak, salty licorice, beautiful acidity, tannin and bitterness. I also wrote down elegant. Overall a beautiful and modern made, but not over extracted wine. Early maturity now and probably still great around 2020.
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Classical finesse wine by Angelus. Complex and earthy in mid palate. But not much surprise. Not in its peak. Should wait for another 7 years for further development.
The wine looks Tawny colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Red Currant, Black currant (cassis), Forest floor, Cedar, Lead Pencil, Black Pepper, Meaty, and Alcohol/Hot. It tastes like Mushroom, Game, Meaty, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium. The wine has Leathery texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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Ripe fruit, cedar and spices on the nose, but not very intense. quite tannic, drying, but palate more complex and also relatively long. This is too young and needs quite a lot of time.
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Red Bordeaux 2003, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Light mild on the nose almost nonexistent and decanting just push the nose further into oblivion. Light and thin, light fruit, with lots of bitter notes on the mid palate. Backward with hard tannin at this stage and could well benefit from 10yrs (?) in bottle. 88
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Concentrated licorice and dark berry flavors really coat the mouth and make for a truly luxurious drinking experience. Measured hedonism is how I'd describe it, and I love this style from the right bank. Restrained enough to show it's Bordeaux character, but also nearly halfway towards Napa in style.
Still an adolescent, the purity of the ripe cab franc in this wine is unbelievable, given the low acid vintage. Well delineated scents of ripe wild black cherry, and mentholated cassis-tinged blackberry envelope the vanillin/oak aromas, which have started to recede. Well endowed, this wine possesses a velvety tannic grip, but a soft grip (like taking the hand of a white gloved date to a gala) that is starting to resolve nicely..and sweetly. It is not exotic, nor classical..not a combination of the two either. The palate and aromatics are quite closely aligned, although there is quite a bit more concentration on the palate (although this was tasted with a cold :( )
This is a very concentrated wine, with a long, smooth finish and the ability to gain even more viscosity and weight in the bottle. It can certainly be consumed at present, but I would guess that this wine could develop some interesting and perhaps border on the exotic with another 5-8 years of cellaring.
The only problem is..why not buy 09 or 10 Le Dome for cheaper for some high octane cab franc with new world character, or if you love hot vintage 2003s, some Pichon Lalande?
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Dinner with Jean Bernard Grenie of Chateau Angelus organized by Kahns Fine Wines (Seasons 52, Indianapolis): This was served along side the 96 as the other vintage made predominantly of cabernet franc. On the nose this wine revealed plenty of big red fruits (as opposed to the darker fruits of the 96). I detected none of the charcoal, leather, or tobacco I had noticed in the other three vintages of Angelus. The vegetal elements from the cabernet franc were quite clear. A very dry wine with only a moderate finish. It seemed most at my table enjoyed this wine quite a bit, but it was not to my tastes. The hot vintage clearly showed here, and not in the way I'd prefer. Jean Bernard stated the hot vintage was very difficult on the merlot in 2003 while the smaller cabernet franc fruit did not suffer as much, hence the blend for this vintage being mostly cf. He described this as "The California Wine" (which was clearly not a compliment). When pressed he offered that most cannot identify the region this wine hails from when tasted blind and that most guess California. I offered that while it was indeed a fruit-forward wine, it was clearly a quality cabernet franc driven wine with plenty of structure. In my experience, the relative rarity of quality cf wines in California made this an odd blind-tasting guess. St. Emilion seemed a much more likely point of origin to me, though I'd not have been able to distinguish it further.
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Appealing menthol note on the nose. Benefits from several hours in the decanter, smooth on the palate with a chewy finish--overall an excellent to outstanding wine but does not have as much depth/complexity as I would have expected.
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Quelle puissance nez tabac fruits noirs herbes En bouche fruits très puissant épices chaud des tannins présents mais soyeux une grande matière avec un cote "viande"et une très très longue final fruits noirs alcoolisés
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Beautiful nose of strawberry, plum, cedar. Smooth attack but still accentuated tannins. Will age well for a while. Strong strawberry and plum fruit, hints of oak, cedar, and hickory. Traces of violet. Nice length and round big character. Will further improve with age.
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I don't think this was decanted. This was sent over from another table at a charity event. Everyone at my table got a pour. The verdict was unanimous. This was hot, devoid of much fruit and completely out shined by an 06 Vissoux Beaujolais and an unnamed Syrah. It even got a few "ughs" from the people drinking it as it seemed so harsh. A lot of heat. I actually liked it more than most. There was a green tobacco note that I really found interesting. While most 03's have been fast tracked IMO, perhaps this is shut down. Disappointing.
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Excellent; better and better as it opens up. Some (good) herbaceousnous and a bit of olive early, giving over to pure fruit. Some oak, but integrated. Very well balanced except for a touch of heat here and there. Try next one in 2013.
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Garnet core with a bright ruby rim. Bright and aromatic with lovely intense blackcurrant leaf and aged soft cedar aromas. Intense and concentrated palate dominated by ripe blackcurrant fruit and velvety tannins. Lovely mouthfeel and balance with a dense lingering finish. Excellent.
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Bibendum 2010 Bordeaux EP Tasting - The Non 2010 Wines we Liked (Lords Pavillion, London): Serious stuff. Feels straight away well made. Open on the nose yet shows it's youth on the palate. Lush start with a tannic finish. Decanting required but patience is best as this wine will improve and improve. 93 for now though. ( hats off to the chateau for bringing such a wine along when lesser guys only brought 2007s...)
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Very dark red/ruby in color...Nose: outstanding with fresh dark and blue fruit, cassis, wood, smoke, cigar box and spice notes...Palate: Dark fruit, blueberries, earth tones, minerals, toasty oak and leather...Needs some more time in the cellar to really strut its stuff, however it is still a delight to taste today..The tannins are muscular but still letting the fruit show its face a bit...I am holding my next bottle for at least another 3 years...Cheers!!!
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2nd bottle within 3 months, very similar to last tasting, decanted in bottle for 1.5 hour, then brought to a restaurant. only noticible difference was it did not lasted as long as last time, by the 4th hour, felt it was going downhill. Perhaps we should not have used the decanter.
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Decanted 2 hours in the bottle before bringing to a tasting. Initially, poweful nose of vanilla and sweet almond, later developed into dark fruits. Tannns well integrated, medium long finnish. Great showing at this stage and likely further develop. Drank 79 Margaux a few days earlier and felt the nose of the Margaux was a bit more ellegant.
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4 hour decant. alluring nose of cedar and sweet, dark fruit. builds on the palate - dark blackberry fruit, cassis, cigar box. Shows a nice transition and finishes strong. drank next to '03 Monbousquet and '96 Insignia. The Angelus offered a bit more complexity and length. But all 3 wines showed extremely well.
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Nose and flavors show soft red fruits and spice. The merlot stands out to me here, and that makes this a more fruity wine than I was expecting. Nice earthy characteristics come through on the finish to balance this out superbly. Not the best Angelus that I have had, but certainly delicious and is still not quite into its drinking window yet. Give this another couple of years.
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4 Blind Bordeaux: Decanted about 4 hours. Deep red violet color. Nose shows a nice spicy oak element with some ripe crushed black berries. Even though the blend has more Cab Franc than Merlot (58/42), it seems that the Merlot perhaps achieved a little better ripeness and it's bright fruit flavors come through a bit more on the palate but the spicy Cab Franc is still present throughout. Very long finish and continued to improve all night. Overall it's quite complex and a very exciting wine to enjoy. If it picks up a bit of an earthy element as it ages, it could easily score a couple points higher. We'll save the next bottle for a few years to find out.
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Bordeaux Night (Binny's Grand Ave.): nose: very pungent and rich nose of dark red fruits, crushed red and black fruits, leather, creme de cassis, and dark berry tones. Has a slightly amped up quality, but seems to hold the vintage real well on the nose
taste: full bodied with big chewy tannins that really show off the youth of the wine and tones of dark red fruits, crushed black fruits, leather, creme de cassis, and bits of herbal tones to compliment it
overall: This is very young right now and needs about 8-10 years to fully sort itself out. Seems to handle the vintage well, but its a rough sketch right now. This probably won't be a blow away angelus, but it can certainly improve and be a very interesting and unique wine
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Nose: rich perfumed spice and herbs, vanilla, rich berries, very welcoming if that makes sense, re-assuring and comforting. Mouth: Plenty of tannin, plum, dry and tight. Almost like savoury black treacle and molasses. Lovely soft velvet. Long finish that fills the mouth wondefully. I'm not really a right bank kind of chap but this is absolutely marvellous. Very, very happy with it and the 2008 is going to go on the En Primeur list.
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This offers up large quantities of spicy black fruit with blue fruit accents. Hedonistic in style, but without the depth and complexity found in their 2004. This vintage features ose to 60% Cabernet Franc.
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eBob Angelus vs. Leoville Las Cases Vertical (Onesixtyblue): Opaque black/purple color. Full hot black fruit on the nose with some spice. Big rich black fruit with some sweetness and toffee on the palate, but a hint of heat carries through as well.
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Served in a flight at the Wine Club SF. Opened but not decanted approximately 3 1/2 hours. Black purple in color; an absolutely fabulous nose of fruit; dry finish with some tanins, I thought this was a delicious wine. This was the third of four wines that stood out for me. Although I would not buy because of the price ($142).
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At Vinexpo Hong Kong, a very old gentleman poured me a very generous glass of 2003 Angelus, just keep smelling and smelling, at the same time, smiling! My nose doesn't want to leave the glass! First class French vanilla oak with tonnes of fruit behind the scene........where are we now? In the fruit farm? Speechless.........
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A disappointment when tasted from bottle. The nose is closed and the palate is almost diluted in quality. Some of you may be thinking ‘how can Angélus be diluted?’ Basically, this wine has lots of oak, but that is not what I look for in a wine. The oak is overpowering the nuances of plum and very ripe raspberry that one detects, at this stage. Given the quality of wine from this estate, I am certain it will improve in bottle, but given the price, you should look at other vintages, including a much better – and less expensive – 2004.
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3/25/2024 - Tao wrote: 96 Points
Opaque, blackish colour! Vibrant, energetic nose of creamy, vanilla black fruits! Dense, tight, youthful palate, tons of pure, spicy black fruits! Not fully mature yet in my book, but a very promising future!
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1/20/2024 - Frank Schneider wrote: 94 Points
Esasy rich and round with good freshness. But not as sensesional for me like other tn s . Expected much more .
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1/13/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
The complex set of aromatics kicks off with smoky cherries, figs, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, licorice, mint chip ice cream, and plum liqueur. Avoiding the often-encountered jamminess of the vintage, the wine offers a sensual, rich, luscious palate experience centered around chocolate-coated cherries, and black plums with salty caramel. The wine is long, concentrated, and showy. No decanting or further aging is required, just pop, pour, and enjoy over a few hours. Drink from 2024-2033.
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12/24/2023 - jaredoco Likes this wine:
With Peking Duck @ Ju Qi, Flushing, Christmas (technically Dec 23) 2023.
Excellent. Drank over about 2 hours - would've probably benefited from several additional hours open, was continuing to evolve after 2 hours of air.
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10/17/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Lunch at restaurant. A really nice surprise. This 2003 carried the hot vintage well. Ripe but not oxidative, lovely notes of torrefaction.
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9/23/2023 - awolffjr wrote: 95 Points
Wine of night at Angelus tasting event with 2006, 20011, and 2015. Great nose, terror middle fruit, long finish.
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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9/19/2023 - theRealPepe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great aroma - I could spend all day sniffing this. On the palate there is opulent dark fruit, coffee, tobacco and an oak sheen. This is gorgeous, almost too much. It could be dialed down just a little, which oddly enough would make this wine more sensational. Still, Outstanding.
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5/7/2023 - Cailles wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux 2003 – 20 Years On – 33 Reds: All wines tasted blind, not decanted (some wines would have needed it). Observations: 1) 2003 is not a good vintage. The wines don’t have the depth and elegance of good years. But I was positively surprised, that while it’s clearly a hot year, there are less overripe, over-extracted and prematurely dying wines than in 09/10. Still, there is no comparison to how Chateauxs handle hot years today. 2) Compared to five other vintage retrospectives, the 2003 came in last place (lower average score than 2011), with just Chateau Margaux reaching a group score above 95pts. 3) Margaux wines showed best, with the typical immediate charm, while St. Estephe and Pauillac have potential but will need more time (and/or would have needed more air). 4) Right bank wines did not show as good with some alcohol showing and a few wines being on a downhill path. I would not chase 2003 right banks.
TN: Not much expression at first but not as ripe as the wines before. With time some coffee notes, some toast, ripe red berries, even some floral aromas. The best nose on the red bank tonight. Quite fresh, even a bit acidic on the palate with fairly fine tannins and an airy texture. Ripe red fruit and floral aromas along some minerality. Not overly complex and a bit astringent towards the finish but overall a good wine.
Decanting: This improved with air and I wonder if a solid 1-2 hours in the decanter would have improved things further.
Group average: 92.0 pts
Group rank: Shared 10th out of 29 reds
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3/25/2023 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum. In perfect spot. Great fruit and soft finish of chocolate and tobacco. Great now
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3/20/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Grand Bordeaux 2003 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): Bordeaux 2003 vintage horizontal hosted by a private collector and moderated by Jean-Marc Quarin. Main observations: 1/ Average quality is acceptable, but weighted down by various low-lights, esp. on the right bank. 2/ In general a tannic vintage, lacking balance. 3/ Top 3 wines were Lafite, Mouton and Margaux (all 95). See the tasting story for a complete overview and additional vintage comments.
Tasting note:
Beautifully aged and dense nose with dried leaves, dark cherry fruit, ripe and concentrated but in a pretty good way, nice tobacco flavors. A fruity palate which was nice, but a light mid-palate and rather dry finish keep me from getting more excited.
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2/10/2023 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 95 Points
In a really lovely place - the dark fruit is starting to give way to leather and outdoor, but they’re in great balance - truly excellent.
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2/9/2023 - zachb1125 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner with Salil & Nick - 1/2
Leather, cherry, cedar, earth on the nose. Plenty of bright fruit on the palate still, married fantastically with more secondary/earthy/forrest floor notes– rosemary and pine. Seamless transition between the two, if there even is a transition. They coexist the entire time. Medium body and acidity, moderate+ tannins.
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12/31/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Bordeaux (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of quite ripe black fruits showing plums, blackcurrant over red berry underpin, polished oak, muted sweet spice, cream, a little caramel, alcohol lends a little peppery underpin. In the mouth there is medium plus intensity acidity which proves quite juicy, alcohol warmth, plummy fruit is broad, tannins are drying, slightly grainy but also quite polished. Less dried out that the last tasting but this still sits in the 'hmm' space for me.
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12/15/2022 - Janstan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Went very well with grilled rib eye steak. Beautifully melded with a hint if cherry
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11/7/2022 - lifebreath wrote: 96 Points
In a beautiful drinking place. Amazing nose.
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9/25/2022 - soychick Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was extremely good, but I might just be more of a left bank person. Served with an excellent filet. Extremely structured for a 19 year old wine, still some tannin and plenty of oak. Some spice, allspice, cloves or nutmeg on the nose. Needs an hour or two of air. Fruit starts to come out after an hour or two. Very dark fruit Cab Franc, pomegranate, mulberry and sour dark cherries. Personally I’d prefer a cheaper, younger second or third tier Margaux from a better year, but this is an excellent wine by any standard.
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7/1/2022 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought to CWG (blind) by Mark. This wine showed some age but on the palate is where the reward of time takes place. Nicely balanced, medium plus body and playful with too many notes to mention them all. It felt like a forest breeze from the Amazon…
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7/1/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
I've had this one cellared for 5 years after acquiring it at auction back in '17. I purchased it immediately after returning from a trip to Bdx and being exposed to many vintages from this great Chateau. This bottle did not disappoint. Cork removed 4-5 hours prior to taking to the restaurant to share with our wine group and dinner. In a great drinking window right now. Soft and integrated on all fronts. Great Bdx nose after the barnyard funk present on opening burned off by hour 4. Classic Angelus fruit profile with 57% cab franc and 43% merlot. Smooth is a good word. A small glass left in the bottle, no cork overnight and it is amazing how this wine has still held together! A 96 for me last night and right there again today almost 18 hours of air later....for an '03! Omg........
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5/28/2022 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 97 Points
One of the finest Bordeaux reds we've ever tasted. Fabulous. Finesse, fruit, complexity, and balance are on display. Enjoy it now. It's been worth the wait.
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5/1/2022 - DrZett wrote: 94 Points
🇫🇷 2003 Vieux Château Certan 🇫🇷 Lots of tertiary notes, ripe red berries, leather, sweet tobacco. Medium complexity, great balance. Drink up soon. 91/100 💵~200
🇫🇷 2003 Château Figeac 🇫🇷 Violets, dark plum, some meaty notes. Good complexity. A little too hot. Finish is a bit short. Drink now. 90/100 💵~200
🇫🇷 2003 Château Angelus 🇫🇷 Beautiful complexity and a lot of fruit power left. Grippy tannins and and super long finish. At least another 10 great years left. 94/100 💵~400
🇫🇷 2003 Château Cos d’Estournel 🇫🇷 Nice soft tertiary notes and lots of dark berries. Fantastic depth and structure. Powerful body. Long finish. In a great spot now. 95/100 💵~230
🇫🇷 2003 Château Montrose 🇫🇷 Ripe strawberries, cherries and wet ivy. Velvety tannins. Fantastic complexity and a great balance. Feels quite fresh and young, lots of good years ahead. 96/100 💵~230
🇫🇷 2003 Château Haut-Bailly 🇫🇷 Soft sweet notes in the nose. Alcohol is too hot and covering the fruit notes. Medium complexity, feels a little unbalanced. Drink now. 89/100 💵~100
🇫🇷 2003 Château Mouton Rothschild 🇫🇷 Great dark red fruits, some dry leather and tobacco - beautiful ripeness. Warm and velvety tannins. Fantastic complexity and length. In a perfect spot now. 96/100 💵~ 600
🇫🇷 2003 Château Lafite Rothschild 🇫🇷 Fantastic nose and palate with lots of elegant dark berries, tobacco leafs and lots of mineral style notes. Silky tannins. Very elegant structure. Incredible balance and complexity. Endless finish. At least another two great decades ahead. 97/100 💵~ 1.100
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4/30/2022 - Jeff Boyce Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with our 39th anniversary dinner . Drinking beautifully !!
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3/2/2022 - ihavezinned wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely delicious! Decanted for about 3 hrs. Jim had with steak Diane. I had with blackened prime rib with whisky butter. Paired wonderfully with both. This is still young and vibrant and has several more years to go.
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12/23/2021 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Angelus & Lynch Bages (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ripe plums over blackcurrant, caramel, sweet spice, a little red currant underpin & a touch of pyrazine, plain chocolate. With time a touch of dried cranberry, garrigue, leather and earth. In the mouth it has juicy medium plus intensity acidity, alcohol warmth is present but not too intrusive, tannins soft by drying on the gums, flavours of baked red plums with redcurrant, a little plain chocolate, the fruit is beginning to dry out a bit. Hmm
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12/23/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous and so much better than any previous bottle. Decanted for 3 hours and filtered out all the solids this time! What a difference as this beauty tasted so clean and complex with a mixture of red fruits and spices swirling in the glass. A great companion to Chateaubriand. It seemed fresh and lively after 18 years from the harvest.
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11/28/2021 - Cailles wrote: 87 Points
20 Vintages of Angelus (1988-2015): All wines tasted single blind. A few observations and conclusions: It seems that until more recently, Angelus focused on late picking, big wines with too much extraction. Most pre 2004 wines we tasted did not show well and are drying out or already have. The younger vintages showed better but only time will tell if the 2004 to 2015 vintages will age more gracefully. An experienced Angelus collector mentioned a style shift towards more finesse right after the promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classe A with the 2012 vintage. It would have been great to include more of the recent vintages (we had only 09/10/14/15) to better understand when and to what extent that shift happened. Still, there are some very good wines with the 2010 being the WOTN (rated 96+ pts, the structuredness, freshness and purity of the vintage shines through), narrowly ahead of the 2008 (96pts, these 2008 right banks are singing these days and are incredibly fresh) as well as two wines with 95 pts, the 2005 (slightly closed but lots of complexity and no structural deficits) and the 2015 (showcasing the stylistic shift: there aren’t many 2015s out there that share the light- and airiness and perfect ripeness level and purity with their respective 2010 counterparts).
TN: Ripe and slightly alcoholic nose with ripe dark fruit. On the palate this a touch acidic and again with very dry tannins but there is a lot of fruit left and beside the ripe fruit also some surprisingly fresh layers but the wine has not as much substance as the other in the series (00/01/02). 87 pts today at best, they clearly overdone like many vintages in that period. Also, this is the weakest 2003 Bordeaux I‘ve had to date.
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11/22/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 90 Points
Angélus vertical (Fribourg): Angélus vertical of 20 vintages. Main observations were : 1/ Older vintages before the mid-2000s often suffered from drying tannin and showed a lot of extraction, 2/ Younger vintages quickly benefited from aeration hence decanting advised, 3/ the fruit profile became darker over time 4/ best vintage to drink today: 2004. All wines were directly poured with no prior decant and served in flights of 4.
Tasting note:
Not as expressive as 2002, but with a similar profile showing nicely extracted, ripe fruit. Palate was nice and juice, however plenty of tannin and acidity made it hard to enjoy.
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9/28/2021 - BBinSC wrote: 96 Points
A Night for Charlie
Wine 4
The 2003 Angelus really shows the power and finesse of truly excellent St. Emilion. Intense, earthy, funky, with still ample dark fruit, and a powerfully long finish. Pick your palate - blackberry, tobacco leaf, slightly green notes, and loads of earth. Outrageously good.
WOTN. QPR 6 (of 10) [prices on this wine have gone insane]
Aging 2030 at least
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9/14/2021 - Rbtrage wrote: 96 Points
The best French wine Ive ever had. Ordered at Sparks Steakhouse. Expensive so cant say good QPR. But it was a memorable experience for sure.
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6/21/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Perfectly ripe, velvet-drenched plums hit the spot. Rich, concentrated, sensuous and long, the wine hits all the right notes from start to finish. There is no touch of heat or jammy characteristics. This hedonistic treat is close to full-maturity, where it should remain for at least another 12-15 years. If you have a bottle and have been waiting for the right time to pop a cork, your wait is over.
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6/11/2021 - Simoncino wrote: 95 Points
Sad to see my last one go. Beautiful wine. In a good place but with years ahead of it.
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5/7/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was singing, intense cherry, rhubarb, dried earth, dried tobacco, cocoa powder, cloves and absolute perfect balance. Still has many years left.
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5/6/2021 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Fully developed nose displaying rich red fruit, strawberry jam, cherry, plum, a hint of dry cherry, stewed tomato, strong mint, tobacco, sweet spices and earth. Fully integrated palate, finely layered very ripe red fruit, rich, warm and round but also silky and fluid, medium acidity, earthy mineral a medium long ripe red fruit driven finish with mint and tobacco at the end. Although it shed a lot of the 03 ripe expression, there is a hint of bitterness that I associate with the 03 vintage. It is drinking nicely.
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3/2/2021 - OenoEd Likes this wine: 94 Points
We had this today w wonderful sweetbreads at Benoit in NYC. It was in its prime; we tasted it beside the 2004, a better vintage, and that will be a point or two higher than the ‘03, but not for 8-10 years. The ‘04 is still tight and tannic. The ‘03 was today in its prime drinking window: silky and fully integrated tannins, classic cab franc acidity, cedar humidor, sweet ripe black fruits of merlot, all enhanced by textural weaving of black minerals and a gentle hint of leaf mold. This has aged beautifully, and will drink at this peak for 2-4 years. While not an Angelus for the ages, it is now an angelic right bank beauty, food friendly, long, and it opens quickly with a scant one hour decant. Stored in cellar since release, so important w Angelus., and for most good bordeaux from this too hot year.
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1/3/2021 - Philippe_C wrote: 90 Points
Closed nose, a bit dusty nose... Red berries, a bit of acidity, a bit short finish.
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12/2/2020 - BunnyLV Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for Thanksgiving 2020. Decanted for 4 hours, however, it didn't open up until the last glass, which was about 10 hours after popping the cork. Despite considerable sediment, it remained very dark ruby in the glass, with a slight gold rim variation, but it was barely there. Tannins were soft and dusty. Red fruits were still present, along with graphite, earth and eucalyptus, solid mid-palate, well-balanced with medium finish. Highly Recommended! The only reason I say 92 points and highly recommended, instead of higher, is I take into consideration QPR, which for this price point I would expect more, however, this is still an excellent wine.
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11/21/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank during a zoom with the chateau alongside the 2004 and 2014.
All three wines were excellent but drinking very differently. The 2003 had plenty of fruit that was just starting to mature, so smooth and integrated. I wish we had decanted longer (2+ hours) but delicious regardless. This will continue to age nicely and is very well done in a tough vintage.
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10/26/2020 - the player Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious and powerful. Pristine bottle, cork barely soaked. Dark ruby red. Decanted and aerated for an hour and drank over 2 hours. Tons of blackberries, cassis liqueur, spice, mint, licorice with solid backbone, very dense in the mouth, lots of life left, great acidity, long finish with tannins coated by the opulent and powerful fruit.
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9/26/2020 - greedy wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Soft mellow tannins. Still tons of fruit and well balanced with acidity. I agree with others, this has stuffing to age for at lest another decade. Just starting to take on tertiary flavors. My first experience with this wine. Will buy again.
Long smooth finish that goes on and on...
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8/29/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Very good>Excellent. ~ 2,5 hours of air in decanter prior to service. It's everything I want it to be, and shows no worse for the vintage; quite amazing in that sense, really. Should continue to hold at this level for some time. The current CT drink thru of 2024 is not where I'd put this; should hold for another 10+ years at this level. That said, I'd tear through any remaining bottles far sooner than then as it's simply magnificent now, too. highly recommended
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5/23/2020 - Larslatour wrote: 96 Points
A beautful wine, Angelus has been an inspiring wine for many years. Even wrote a jazz tune called Angelus on my recording "Giving Receiving" with Paulo Fresu.
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5/1/2020 - Woodford Likes this wine: 92 Points
At the open
Smells of dark deep purple fruit and earth
Tastes of red fruit with lots of tannin
After 1 hour of decanting
Smells of Black earth and a touch of mildew
Tastes of light developing purple fruit with strips of grainy tannin; light yet closed with guarding weight
After 3 hours of decanting
Smells of raspberries trapped in a well, sweet & dark
Tastes of chocolate and raisins; light, but coating.
This was a fascinating evolution, but somewhat of a disappointment. We could find pieces of greatness, but they never completely came together. 3 hours of decanting is an absolute must.
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4/25/2020 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Although we liked this wine, I am not impressed with it given the professional review and user comments. This bottle never opened up to reveal much fruit. It featured more pencil lead and mineral elements that did not remind me of a right bank wine. I failed to decant it properly to remove the bountiful solids in the bottle and that may be the source of my disappointment. It held up very well for three days of tasting trials all with similar impressions.
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3/10/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
What a sexy beast! Supple, sensuous, lush, opulent and expressive, the wine offers intensity, concentration, vibrancy, purity and velvet laced tannins. This is beautiful today and should improve from here. But I am digging how this shows today.
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3/6/2020 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pretty darn close to "Wow" wine. Excellent depth, beautiful nose, medium body, coffee, tobacco, and a finish that goes on and on. No excessive heat, and surprisingly well balanced (in early tastings, I thought most '03 Right Bank Bordeaux to be short on acidity and a bit flabby. Probably approaching its drinking plateau earlier than most Angelus. Though not in imminent danger of fading, why wait.
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3/5/2020 - Melli wrote: 96 Points
Outstanding showing among many great wines
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11/14/2019 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 92 Points
Had side-by-side with the ’03 Pavie. Both of these wines are big and a little blown out. The Pavie achieves more elegance and delineated structure but the Angelus has more rusticity. Loads of black fruit to both, vanilla and polish. I think the Pavie held up to the heat a little better and is showing more proper. Both good, short of amazing.
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9/25/2019 - PGB Likes this wine: 96 Points
Needs three hours after decanting. (Note to Napa fans - not everything can be popNpour). Integrated, smooth, soft tannins with impeccable high notes of roasted fruits and vanilla. In a parallel universe Angelus would be a first growth.
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9/20/2019 - Pknut wrote:
Whoa, this is a big wine. Clearly, 2003. The palate is dark, large in scale, with big, furry and coarse tannins. Not a model of elegance. And yet, at the same time, it stays controlled, in that the alcohol is not overt and the wine does retain a sense of proportion and restraint, especially when compared to other 2003s. I can't help but compare this wine to 2003 Chateauneuf which, to a great extent, is undrinkable to me, and sixteen years past the vintage, I wonder how many of the '03 CdPs are still alive, whereas this wine, while big and furry, actually needs more time to smooth out. This could very well mellow out and become great; it certainly has the fruit and the tannin. I wouldn't be surprised if in seven years, this is really excellent. Zachys auction at Smith & Wollensky.
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7/30/2019 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wrote: 95 Points
Great wine and right in the drinking window. Complex flavors and silken mouthfeel. Liked it much more than I thought I would.
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7/30/2019 - SonnyChiba wrote: 95 Points
Really excellent wine. Has the richness but enough complexity and beautiful texture to back up the fruit.
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5/25/2019 - LB88 wrote: 94 Points
Excellent trumped a 03 Lafite
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2/1/2019 - chatters wrote:
Annual Coravin blitz - day two (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Compared to the other wines in this bracket this is very much the elder statesman. Polished plums, sweet spice, leather, slight pencil shavings and cedar. The palate is a reflection of the nose, tannins are chamois soft and travel ridiculously long It finishes with non-intrusive alcohol. Considering the vintage this a bravo from me.
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12/22/2018 - Niagara wrote: 92 Points
Rich, full-bodied (for Bordeaux), almost California style. Not bad but like most classified Bordeaux, if tasted blind it would command half the price at best.
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11/22/2018 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Generous and juicy, but didn't feel heat.
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8/14/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
A bit oakier than the bottle tasted earlier this year, time in the decanter helped to blunt much of that. The ripe, dense, sweet, black plums and cherries are accompanied by smoke, licorice, tobacco, espresso and wet earth. Lush, concentrated and with good density, this still has room for improvements.
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4/22/2018 - Serge Birbrair Likes this wine:
outstanding
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1/20/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
This sexy beast is drinking great today. Pure silk on the palate, with loads or richly textured, ripe, sweet, black cherry, plum, truffle, smoke, licorice and tobacco. No touch of heat, but the wine is maturing at a slightly more rapid pace than other, recent vintages.
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1/18/2018 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 93 Points
Château Angélus tasting with Hubert de Boüard (Wine Watch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Still showing young. Dark opaque ruby color. Lots of curry and spice on the nose, along with plum, cherry, truffle, earth, and dark chocolate. Still a little tight and ungiving on the palate. Dense, full-bodied, and very concentrated. Still has oak to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. I would probably hold this for a few more years, as it seems a bit closed at this stage.
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1/4/2018 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep garnet with some browning at the edge
Intense heat on the nose, aroma of sour apple, ceder wood, iron ore
Medium acidity, seedy tannins, spice towards the finish with lingering seedy taste
Ready to drink now
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11/16/2017 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely wine that was fantastic with our meal of strip steak, vegetables and couscous. Beautiful nose, somewhat tannic body, great after-taste. Wonderful balance in all ways. Still somewhat tannic and indicative of many good years to come, but certainly drinkable now.
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10/15/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
One of the better wines from this scorching hot, vintage. The wine offers a blend of sweet, dark cherries, boysenberry, dark chocolate, licorice, smoke and truffle essences in the nose. Concentrated and refined, there is a beautiful softness in the texture, that allows you to enjoy all the ripe, sweet, fruit. There is sensation of jam, or heat, instead, you find a sultry, sexy, sensuously, textured finish. The can age further, but it is so good right now, if you have a few bottles, you should pop a cork.
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9/8/2017 - zarped wrote: 94 Points
épaulée 3h
belle robe sombre nez complexe
grande puissance en bouche, très long, de la matière, suave magnifique !
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6/22/2017 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 94 Points
Among all the 03 bordeaux I had, this wine along with cos estournel are my fav. The nose is so charming with perfume, spice, sweet red fruit, cedar wood and truffle. Palate is a blend of modern and classic right bank bordeaux. Good intensity with a balanced fruit. Still tannic and oaky. With more time, the tannins and oak will integrate.
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6/10/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Elegant wine with a lot going on. Still very nice color, and has continued to improve since our last tasting in 2012. Black cherries and black raspberries, currants. licorice, coffee, chocolate, leather, and floral hints. Very long finish, full bodied, and nice complexity.
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3/18/2017 - charleshetzel Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted 2.0 hours then another 1.5 hours with cork removed. Deep dark opaque purple color. Sexy legs in the glass. Nose was violets, lavender, and black cherries. Great round mouth feel with full 30 second finish. Tasted blind and group ranked it top 2 of Bordeaux poured. All most all identified as Right Bank. The cab franc really shows well and is very characteristic of this producer. 98 points
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12/12/2016 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted to remove the plentiful solids. Possibly the darkest wine I've had. This is a very complex wine. Initially it smelled of blackberries and black raspberry. Then it went away and came back with a roar. Tastes of dark fruits with some spice. It is so complex that it's hard to nail an accurate accounting of all that's thre. It's mouth-filling and clean. This is so amazing. The only disappointment is finish does not persist for very long.
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11/25/2016 - DugyDog Likes this wine: 97 Points
Honestly the best 2003 I have had, and one of the best overall wines I've had in many years. Inky black; huge nose; a mouthfeel that is liquid velvet or cashmere. Huge surprise!
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11/11/2016 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - great nose. Boysenberry, dark plum wicked good
Mouth - this wine is ... great! Impressive bold juicy fruit with a wet hay/earthy complexity reminiscent of the 90 montrose. This wine has flesh. Satin. Wow
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11/7/2016 - dchain Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow this was a huge surprise to the upside! Still dark ruby. Very gloss and healthy looking. Very open and approachable from the outset. Cherry, milk chocolate and touch of earthy Christmas cake spice. Amazing mouthful, with globs of glycerin ripe fruit. I was surprised who balanced this wine was. No sense of heat or over-ripeness that many of the 2003s suffer from. Delicious. Great length, ripe, decadent fruit but not OTT at all. Elegance and charming. Big but in control. First growth quality. A must try Angelus.
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9/23/2016 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 95 Points
Right Bank Premier Grand Cru Classe "A" Bordeaux tasting (Karl's house): Still quite young. Dark opaque ruby color. Plum, tart cherry, truffle, earth, Asian spices, and chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate. Still has some noticeable oak undertones that need to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. Since it is still quite young, I would probably hold this for a few more years. It also deserves some time for its tannins to soften. This wine should be very impressive in ten years or so.
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6/9/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
From double magnum. Spicy, earthy on the nose with lots of rich, slightly stewed fruit. Very expressive and quite sweet - hints of chocolate, mocha. On the palate similarly sweet and rich. Layers of ripe, succulent fruit. Good acidity and slightly drying, coarse tannins. Very long. Drinking well, and I now don't think it will be for the very long haul. 91-93
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5/11/2016 - Vinum Deorum Likes this wine: 100 Points
Can a wine get any better than this? I wonder. This has the one of the most gorgeous bouquet I have ever smelt. The wine is amazing: powerful and dense, with an incredible elegance and a lot of freshness combined with a great acidity. Aromas of blackcurrant, cedar box, spices, mint, and graphite. Tanins are real cashmere, oh so elegant! It is pure, long and has a profoundess making it a real stunner. One the very finest wine ever tasted. Capable of an effortless 40/50 years of aging from now. Perfection in a bottle. Prodigious.
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3/27/2016 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 94 Points
Dark opaque ruby color. A dark and brooding wine right now. Dark plum, tart cherry, herb, truffle, flowers, Asian spices, and chocolate. Full-bodied and creamy on the palate. Still has some noticeable oak undertones that need to integrate. The tannins are firm. Medium acidity. This wine is still quite young, and I would give this a few more years to start picking up its tertiary aromas. The balance is also not quite there, due to its prominent tannins. I am interested to see where this goes; the intriguing, exotic nose has me hooked.
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11/16/2015 - Markus IWC wrote: 90 Points
Fyllig, kraftig frukt, mörka bär, animaliska toner, tung fatkaraktär, välbalanserad och elegant, lyxig känsla. Stängd och torr initialt men öppnar upp efter en timme i glaset. Komplext stort vin.
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5/15/2015 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Huge wine from this really hot year. It took a couple hours of decanting. Thick blue and black fruits but also tons of leather and tobacco. A real mouthful with a 30 second finish.
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4/25/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
The truffle covered cherry nose draws you in and the soft, silky, smooth textures keep you there. Lacking the power and depth found in the top vintages, the wine is quite nice and can be enjoyed now, or aged for more complexities.
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3/6/2015 - Lord Rayas wrote: 95 Points
decanted for 2hrs. thick and jammy with intoxicating bouquet of smoke, truffle and blackcurrant. delicious.
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1/4/2015 - RoseWater Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine. Drinking beautifully right now. Decanted and only had about 30 minutes of air before I tried it, but that was enough to see this is a great wine. Excellent nose. Can still age, but not sure it can get better.
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12/25/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Concur with those who mentioned its modern style. That is not necessarily a negative comment. This wine tastes young and vigorous. It should have many years ahead of it. Rich red fruit abounds in this bottle along with French subtlety. We loved it at our Christmas dinner.
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11/29/2014 - lifebreath wrote: 93 Points
Wow! Pop and pour- bam! Lovely blackberry bramble and oak with some minor vanilla undertone on the finish. Big bold mouthfeel with expansive mid palate and grippy tannin finish with secondary notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Kind of a blend of new world fruit and old world acidity and structure underpinning the whole thing. Drink now - it's in a prime window, although it has the structure to lay down another decade.
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9/20/2014 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Very modern style but also very well made.
Big red fruits, chocolate, smooth and easy to drink.
I believe half is Cab Franc, which is surprising because the grape doesn't show through.
Not good QPR, but it is a very nice drink I would be happy to have.
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9/5/2014 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Was not impressed by this when it was popped and poured on Thursday evening. Initial impressions were of a wine that had some interesting savoury/gravelly characteristics, but overwhelmingly ripe, almost roasted/jammy red and dark fruited flavours and a monolithic feel to the palate. A day of air completely transforms this though, and on Friday evening this showed far better with the fruit more restrained, and augmented by more savoury cedary, herbal, and exotic floral/spicy notes that had emerged. It's not a particularly high acid wine, but it feels lighter on its feet and more fresh the second day, and it's a real eye opener.
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8/22/2014 - dglebo wrote: 94 Points
2 1/2 hours decanted. Nose of black cherry, dark flowers. Crushed fruit on first taste? High viscosity, full bodied. Cassis, jammy thick, raspberry. Long finish. Years to go before it must be drunk...but loved it now.
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3/20/2014 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened right after the Les Forts de Latour from the same vintage, to celebrate my son's birthday who was born in 2003. Darker than the Les Forts and much more youthful with evident ruby hues. Expressive and clean nose with red plums, cherries, earthy minerality and herbal/green scents. Medium+ bodied with firm structure, clean and pure fruit and balancing (rather high) acidity. Remarkable freshness given the heat of the vintage. Long aftertaste. Quite enjoyable already but I would suggest further cellaring for another 5 years or more.
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1/5/2014 - JimN Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leve note about sums it up. In a great place right now. Amazing how much this wine changes from hour to hour. Needs lots of air. Very little to suggest Bordeaux, which is neither good nor bad. Point is that there is a welcome restraint here even though it leans toward CA. Will drink for many more years, but it may be as good as it will ever be from now over the next four years.
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12/31/2013 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
One of my top five at the 2003 UGC tasting. Still in that ballpark, but this bottle is still unforthcoming - beautifully pure red fruit flavors with a new oak overlay evident, but the acid is still pronounced leaving a more or less closed and ungenerous wine on the palate. Will leave it on the sideboard overnight and see where we are tomorrow night. Something else will have to go to the New Years Eve dinner.
One day later offered more, but as the wag once observed, the future of this wine is very much ahead of it.
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12/18/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Maturing at a more rapid pace than originally anticipated, the wine is soft, fleshy and round, offering jammy plum, dark cherry, truffle, cocoa and smoke on the nose. The supple textured finish delivers sweet fruits and jam. This is close to mature. There is probably no hurry to drink it yet, but there is not much reason to wait before popping a cork.
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10/11/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 96 Points
Uitbundige neus met zoetig bosfruit, tabak. Goede structuur en balans, een elegante wijn (knap gezien de jaargang). Goed geïntegreerde tannines, lang aanhoudend.
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10/11/2013 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: Rustic bouquet with dark forest fruits, smoke and luxurious oak. On the palate cassis and luxurious oak, salty licorice, beautiful acidity, tannin and bitterness. I also wrote down elegant. Overall a beautiful and modern made, but not over extracted wine. Early maturity now and probably still great around 2020.
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9/18/2013 - StanLee Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classical finesse wine by Angelus. Complex and earthy in mid palate. But not much surprise. Not in its peak. Should wait for another 7 years for further development.
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8/20/2013 - zarped wrote: 92 Points
Quelle puissance. Décantée pendant 1h. Probablement insuffisant.
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8/13/2013 - Sweetness34 Likes this wine: 94 Points
4-5 hour decant/aerate. Sweet fruit on the nose. Excellent complexity with smooth tannins. Earthy finish. Very restrained and elegant wine.
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4/19/2013 - SandraBordeaux wrote:
The wine looks Tawny colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Red Currant, Black currant (cassis), Forest floor, Cedar, Lead Pencil, Black Pepper, Meaty, and Alcohol/Hot. It tastes like Mushroom, Game, Meaty, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium. The wine has Leathery texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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4/18/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
Ripe fruit, cedar and spices on the nose, but not very intense. quite tannic, drying, but palate more complex and also relatively long. This is too young and needs quite a lot of time.
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4/18/2013 - Papies wrote: 88 Points
Red Bordeaux 2003, with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Light mild on the nose almost nonexistent and decanting just push the nose further into oblivion. Light and thin, light fruit, with lots of bitter notes on the mid palate. Backward with hard tannin at this stage and could well benefit from 10yrs (?) in bottle. 88
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4/16/2013 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine: 95 Points
Concentrated licorice and dark berry flavors really coat the mouth and make for a truly luxurious drinking experience. Measured hedonism is how I'd describe it, and I love this style from the right bank. Restrained enough to show it's Bordeaux character, but also nearly halfway towards Napa in style.
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3/4/2013 - Brmaso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still an adolescent, the purity of the ripe cab franc in this wine is unbelievable, given the low acid vintage. Well delineated scents of ripe wild black cherry, and mentholated cassis-tinged blackberry envelope the vanillin/oak aromas, which have started to recede. Well endowed, this wine possesses a velvety tannic grip, but a soft grip (like taking the hand of a white gloved date to a gala) that is starting to resolve nicely..and sweetly. It is not exotic, nor classical..not a combination of the two either. The palate and aromatics are quite closely aligned, although there is quite a bit more concentration on the palate (although this was tasted with a cold :( )
This is a very concentrated wine, with a long, smooth finish and the ability to gain even more viscosity and weight in the bottle. It can certainly be consumed at present, but I would guess that this wine could develop some interesting and perhaps border on the exotic with another 5-8 years of cellaring.
The only problem is..why not buy 09 or 10 Le Dome for cheaper for some high octane cab franc with new world character, or if you love hot vintage 2003s, some Pichon Lalande?
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1/26/2013 - prof b wrote: 88 Points
Dinner with Jean Bernard Grenie of Chateau Angelus organized by Kahns Fine Wines (Seasons 52, Indianapolis): This was served along side the 96 as the other vintage made predominantly of cabernet franc. On the nose this wine revealed plenty of big red fruits (as opposed to the darker fruits of the 96). I detected none of the charcoal, leather, or tobacco I had noticed in the other three vintages of Angelus. The vegetal elements from the cabernet franc were quite clear. A very dry wine with only a moderate finish. It seemed most at my table enjoyed this wine quite a bit, but it was not to my tastes. The hot vintage clearly showed here, and not in the way I'd prefer. Jean Bernard stated the hot vintage was very difficult on the merlot in 2003 while the smaller cabernet franc fruit did not suffer as much, hence the blend for this vintage being mostly cf. He described this as "The California Wine" (which was clearly not a compliment). When pressed he offered that most cannot identify the region this wine hails from when tasted blind and that most guess California. I offered that while it was indeed a fruit-forward wine, it was clearly a quality cabernet franc driven wine with plenty of structure. In my experience, the relative rarity of quality cf wines in California made this an odd blind-tasting guess. St. Emilion seemed a much more likely point of origin to me, though I'd not have been able to distinguish it further.
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12/23/2012 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
DEEP BERRY FRUITS, LEATHER, AND TOBACCO IN THE NOSE WITH BLACK CHERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.
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11/1/2012 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
The 03 Bordeaux dinner at RIS in DC (RIS Restaurant, Washington DC): Wine no. 12 - Ripe but cool nose expression. Unctuous yet subtle and silky. Big scale wine. Guessed Latour.
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4/25/2012 - MikeZ wrote:
Appealing menthol note on the nose. Benefits from several hours in the decanter, smooth on the palate with a chewy finish--overall an excellent to outstanding wine but does not have as much depth/complexity as I would have expected.
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3/31/2012 - zarped wrote: 93 Points
Quelle puissance nez tabac fruits noirs herbes En bouche fruits très puissant épices chaud des tannins présents mais soyeux une grande matière avec un cote "viande"et une très très longue final fruits noirs alcoolisés
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12/29/2011 - Fantomas wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose of strawberry, plum, cedar. Smooth attack but still accentuated tannins. Will age well for a while. Strong strawberry and plum fruit, hints of oak, cedar, and hickory. Traces of violet. Nice length and round big character. Will further improve with age.
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6/13/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 87 Points
I don't think this was decanted. This was sent over from another table at a charity event. Everyone at my table got a pour. The verdict was unanimous. This was hot, devoid of much fruit and completely out shined by an 06 Vissoux Beaujolais and an unnamed Syrah. It even got a few "ughs" from the people drinking it as it seemed so harsh. A lot of heat. I actually liked it more than most. There was a green tobacco note that I really found interesting. While most 03's have been fast tracked IMO, perhaps this is shut down. Disappointing.
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5/15/2011 - Sycamore wrote: 93 Points
Excellent; better and better as it opens up. Some (good) herbaceousnous and a bit of olive early, giving over to pure fruit. Some oak, but integrated. Very well balanced except for a touch of heat here and there. Try next one in 2013.
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5/4/2011 - thewineoceros wrote: 90 Points
Bibendum Bordeaux 2010 tasting including selected back vintages (Lords Cricket Ground - St Johns Wood, London): No note for this wine. Just a score in comparison to its monster brother in 2010. A tough act to follow for any wine
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5/4/2011 - Biggsy wrote: 93 Points
Garnet core with a bright ruby rim. Bright and aromatic with lovely intense blackcurrant leaf and aged soft cedar aromas. Intense and concentrated palate dominated by ripe blackcurrant fruit and velvety tannins. Lovely mouthfeel and balance with a dense lingering finish. Excellent.
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5/4/2011 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Bibendum 2010 Bordeaux EP Tasting - The Non 2010 Wines we Liked (Lords Pavillion, London): Serious stuff. Feels straight away well made. Open on the nose yet shows it's youth on the palate. Lush start with a tannic finish. Decanting required but patience is best as this wine will improve and improve. 93 for now though.
( hats off to the chateau for bringing such a wine along when lesser guys only brought 2007s...)
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5/4/2011 - vinopa wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red/ruby in color...Nose: outstanding with fresh dark and blue fruit, cassis, wood, smoke, cigar box and spice notes...Palate: Dark fruit, blueberries, earth tones, minerals, toasty oak and leather...Needs some more time in the cellar to really strut its stuff, however it is still a delight to taste today..The tannins are muscular but still letting the fruit show its face a bit...I am holding my next bottle for at least another 3 years...Cheers!!!
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4/18/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 91 Points
2nd bottle within 3 months, very similar to last tasting, decanted in bottle for 1.5 hour, then brought to a restaurant.
only noticible difference was it did not lasted as long as last time, by the 4th hour, felt it was going downhill.
Perhaps we should not have used the decanter.
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2/11/2011 - danielk168 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours in the bottle before bringing to a tasting. Initially, poweful nose of vanilla and sweet almond, later developed into dark fruits. Tannns well integrated, medium long finnish. Great showing at this stage and likely further develop. Drank 79 Margaux a few days earlier and felt the nose of the Margaux was a bit more ellegant.
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1/9/2011 - signotim wrote: 94 Points
4 hour decant. alluring nose of cedar and sweet, dark fruit. builds on the palate - dark blackberry fruit, cassis, cigar box. Shows a nice transition and finishes strong. drank next to '03 Monbousquet and '96 Insignia. The Angelus offered a bit more complexity and length. But all 3 wines showed extremely well.
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12/15/2010 - VinumDiligo wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful....great nose and full flavor. Nice balance of tannins and the cab franc being the majority comes though nicely.
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9/4/2010 - jhannah27 wrote: 92 Points
Nose and flavors show soft red fruits and spice. The merlot stands out to me here, and that makes this a more fruity wine than I was expecting. Nice earthy characteristics come through on the finish to balance this out superbly. Not the best Angelus that I have had, but certainly delicious and is still not quite into its drinking window yet. Give this another couple of years.
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9/4/2010 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
4 Blind Bordeaux: Decanted about 4 hours. Deep red violet color. Nose shows a nice spicy oak element with some ripe crushed black berries. Even though the blend has more Cab Franc than Merlot (58/42), it seems that the Merlot perhaps achieved a little better ripeness and it's bright fruit flavors come through a bit more on the palate but the spicy Cab Franc is still present throughout. Very long finish and continued to improve all night. Overall it's quite complex and a very exciting wine to enjoy. If it picks up a bit of an earthy element as it ages, it could easily score a couple points higher. We'll save the next bottle for a few years to find out.
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5/29/2010 - jrpundyk wrote:
Brads 86 first growth tasting
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2/14/2010 - rafaelrlevy wrote: 93 Points
Tomamos com Victor, Rafael, Helio, Artemio, Sr. Berto, Paulo na adega do Artemio
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11/5/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux Night (Binny's Grand Ave.): nose: very pungent and rich nose of dark red fruits, crushed red and black fruits, leather, creme de cassis, and dark berry tones. Has a slightly amped up quality, but seems to hold the vintage real well on the nose
taste: full bodied with big chewy tannins that really show off the youth of the wine and tones of dark red fruits, crushed black fruits, leather, creme de cassis, and bits of herbal tones to compliment it
overall: This is very young right now and needs about 8-10 years to fully sort itself out. Seems to handle the vintage well, but its a rough sketch right now. This probably won't be a blow away angelus, but it can certainly improve and be a very interesting and unique wine
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6/21/2009 - chatters wrote: 93 Points
Nose: rich perfumed spice and herbs, vanilla, rich berries, very welcoming if that makes sense, re-assuring and comforting.
Mouth: Plenty of tannin, plum, dry and tight. Almost like savoury black treacle and molasses. Lovely soft velvet. Long finish that fills the mouth wondefully.
I'm not really a right bank kind of chap but this is absolutely marvellous. Very, very happy with it and the 2008 is going to go on the En Primeur list.
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9/19/2008 - Phin wrote: 95 Points
Full black fruit with some sweetness. Big and tight. Drank better young that the other bordeaux wines that night.
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8/15/2008 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
This offers up large quantities of spicy black fruit with blue fruit accents. Hedonistic in style, but without the depth and complexity found in their 2004. This vintage features ose to 60% Cabernet Franc.
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5/1/2007 - cab blends wrote: 90 Points
lightly earthy with good terrior - lightly velvety
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4/23/2007 - MFong wrote:
4 Decades of Chateau Angelus (World Gourmet Summit 2007) (Equinox, Singapore): Coffee and herbs on the nose. High acidity on the fresh, green and spicy palate.
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4/12/2007 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
eBob Angelus vs. Leoville Las Cases Vertical (Onesixtyblue): Opaque black/purple color. Full hot black fruit on the nose with some spice. Big rich black fruit with some sweetness and toffee on the palate, but a hint of heat carries through as well.
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2/27/2007 - plitton wrote: 92 Points
Sam's Wine Bordeaux Night; 2/27/2007-2/28/2007 (Chicago): Poured from the recently opened bottle. Dark, heavy and tight. Overall great structure but needs to age.
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2/6/2007 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Chateau Angelus tasting with Hubert de Bouard (Glass Brasserie with Ultimo Wine Centre): gorgeous nose of violets and blackcurrants, very floral, some cherry
good intensity, great structure, sweet black fruits, hint of charred oak, great fruit sweetness
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11/29/2006 - MRichman wrote:
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal at Post House, NYC
Dense with olive. Thick woody dense tannins. Toasted wood. Rough feel.
B++
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10/28/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Served in a flight at the Wine Club SF. Opened but not decanted approximately 3 1/2 hours. Black purple in color; an absolutely fabulous nose of fruit; dry finish with some tanins, I thought this was a delicious wine. This was the third of four wines that stood out for me. Although I would not buy because of the price ($142).
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10/9/2006 - indywineguy78 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted this when I picked up my futures.
What can you say? Awesome. Lots of berries and good earth. Very smooth.
Holy crap I love bordeaux.
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5/24/2006 - Tao wrote: 98 Points
At Vinexpo Hong Kong, a very old gentleman poured me a very generous glass of 2003 Angelus, just keep smelling and smelling, at the same time, smiling! My nose doesn't want to leave the glass! First class French vanilla oak with tonnes of fruit behind the scene........where are we now? In the fruit farm? Speechless.........
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1/26/2006 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
TN: 2003 Red Bordeaux (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting); 1/26/2006-1/27/2006 (Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois): Deep purple color in this extracted wine. Notes of cedar and woody red fruit. Firm tannins which deprive this wine of balance now. It should come around though. Not as good as the classic 2000 in my opinion. 92-93 points.
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1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 89 Points
A disappointment when tasted from bottle. The nose is closed and the palate is almost diluted in quality. Some of you may be thinking ‘how can Angélus be diluted?’ Basically, this wine has lots of oak, but that is not what I look for in a wine. The oak is overpowering the nuances of plum and very ripe raspberry that one detects, at this stage. Given the quality of wine from this estate, I am certain it will improve in bottle, but given the price, you should look at other vintages, including a much better – and less expensive – 2004.
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1/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Clear full red/purple. Great aroma of purple fruit and briar. Rich, ripe, full. Wow, very nice. Still tight but should be great. 1/06
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4/1/2004 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Ch. Beau-Sejour Becot: Blkberry nose, very intense nose; frt du boid/sous bois; hint of cooked cherry pie; firm structure.
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