Tasting Notes
James Suckling 94-95
A very fresh and vivid red with crunchy and bright character. Citrus rind as well. Medium-bodied. Fine taninned with a vivid finish. Precise.
Jane Anson 94
Vivid ruby red fruits, smoked caramel and mint leaf underline the personality and definition of this wine, setting it apart from Chateau Angelus in a way that has been increasingly apparent over recent vintages, reflecting its separate vineayrds, and clearly different blending. Has a lusicous quality without being overdone, with concentrated sage and rosemary spice. 60% new oak, 18ha dedicated plots, Harvest September 6 to 28. Just over 10% of the Chateau Bellevue plots are now in Carillon (so around 0.5ha), and the vinification saw double the usual time for cold soaking at no more than 2C to keep focus on fruit, never going over 22C during the fermentation itself.
Robert Parker 91-93
Unfurling in the glass with notions of raspberries, red plums, sweet soil tones and truffle, the 2022 Le Carillon d’Angelus is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vibrant, with powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. As readers will remember, this bottling is no longer a "second wine" per se, but rather draws on some 25 hectares of dedicated vineyards, emphasizing Merlot from the cool terroirs of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, complemented by holdings in the gravelly Figeac sector and on clay soils near Angelus itself with anything that doesn’t make the cut relegated to the No. 3 d’Angelus.
The Wine Independent 92-94
The deep garnet-purple colored 2022 Carillon d’Angelus is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc with a pH of 3.65. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with rambunctious notions of blueberry pie, plum preserves, and chargrill, followed by hints of cardamom, wood smoke and sassafras. The full-bodied palate is surprising, coming off a far more graceful and nuanced than the nose suggests with fragrant floral notes and beautifully plush tannins, finishing with great vibrancy and freshness. 2022 is an impressive step up for this label!