Angelus in the post-classification Saint-Emilion era and on the “narrow road” of organic

here was a genuine sense of occasion on Wednesday 29 May at Vinexpo Asia in Hong Kong as the 2022 vintage bottle of Château Angelus was presented for the first time in Asia. In a room packed to the rafters, its joint owner, Hubert de Bouärd de Laforest, unveiled the new packaging, with its celestial spirit and 22-carat gold. His daughter and Angelus CEO, Stéphanie de Bouärd-Rivoal, attended by video conference and stressed the symbolism of the label: “2022 was a turning point, marking a new era and a new ten-year cycle. After a growth and development phase, we are now entering an era of consolidation”, epitomised by the unique bottle. The original Angelus estate totalling 30 hectares now extends over 135, including 65 in Saint-Emilion. The new bottle is a nod to the black bottle for the 2012 vintage, marking de Bouärd-Rivoal’s arrival at the company’s helm – when she took over from her father – and the winery’s promotion to the highly-coveted Premier Grand Cru Classé A Saint-Emilion status; the property had been Grand Cru Classé since 1955 and Premier Grand Cru Classé B since 1996.

After withdrawing its application for the ten-year classification review in 2022, the iconic 007 wine is now marketed under the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation. According to Hubert de Bouärd, the property was compelled to leave the classification in order to launch a new cycle.

The new era is also marked by the winery’s organic certification since the 2021 vintage. However, “being organic per se, or even biodynamic, is not enough. You have to push the boundaries as far as you can”, claims de Bouärd. After blazing the trail with its inverted cone-shaped vats – to increase extraction area – Château Angelus is now transitioning to gravity-fed techniques. The new winery should be completed at the start of 2025.