All the talk was of an early campaign and here's the reality. Many of the minor chateaux who have made en primeur releases the past couple of years will not do so this time, clearing the way for the bigger names. Yesterday afternoon, before many in the trade are even back from Bordeaux, saw the release of a perennial favourite in the UK market, and a property which has been making great strides in the past few vintages under the leadership of Benjamin Sichel. Benjamin explained to us last week that it's difficult to compare 2011 Angludet to older vintages because they've been working towards much greater elegance recently. Analytically, he said, it's the same wine as the 2010, but stylistically it's lighter; it reminds him of their (highly successful) 2008, but has "more spark". The release price is 21% down on last year, and so we start the 2011 campaign with a must buy.
Jean-Marc Quarin, Chronicle no 117, 22 July 2011:
ANGLUDET - A NEW OUTSIDER
Reminder: an outsider is a wine whose taste and performance are superior to what you would normally expect from the label.
Two vertical tastings made me realize how unique the label's style is in Margaux. I had not fully taken in the quality of the flesh - so deliciously pulpy. It is a vital element in the personality the wine reveals on the palate. Surprisingly enough, time does not seem to affect it. 1983 and 1981 are no great vintages but they have not been altered by dryness on the palate. And when dealing with an appellation that, at times, produces wines that are on the light side, which is not the case for d'Angludet, such a feature is worth noting. The cru boasts gorgeous fruity and floral aromas, a surprisingly pulpy texture, possibly due to the clayey sub-soil. The superb flesh is an absolute gem also to be found in the 1995 and 1996 vintages. The vines are set among prestigious classed growths (Brane Cantenac, Kirwan, Giscours, Du Tertre) and the wines at d'Angludet have never been so good since 2005 - except for maybe the 2007 vintage. Today, the cru is already on a par with many Margaux classed growths. I am convinced it could go even further.
Halves & magnums £10 extra per 9 litre case; other formats on request
