The 2022 Angelus is still very contained on the nose, therefore, for this sample, I transferred the wine several times between two glasses in order to pry it open. It has a delineated and tensile bouquet, with blackberry, briar and light marine scents percolating through with time. Hints of oyster shell emerge from the limestone soils. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and saline, with gentle grip, fine tannins and a poised, persistent finish. There is a linearity to this Angelus that I appreciate due to the 40% Cabernet Franc. It’s very minerally on the aftertaste. This is an excellent Angélus that will age perhaps more slowly than its peers. 97 points

Precision and freshness here, with fennel, aniseed, marzipan, cassis, incense, cigar, black cherry, mint leaf and ink, with a slow build of subtle aromatics, and a cooling uplift on the finish. An exceptional wine that will reward long ageing, but captures the luscious, exuberant quality of the vintage without ever stepping over the line. 100% new oak for the barrels, with 20% of the production (Cabernet Franc only) to be aged in larger oak casks. Organic farming (with their own farm growing produce for their restaurants and for vineyard treatments). This vintage also shows one of the benefits of leaving the classification, which has become official as of 2022 - the de Bouard family is able to expand the footprint for the main wine of Angelus this year with 3ha of Chateau Bellevue (which has now been officially split and passed entirely back into the hands of the co-owners the de Lavaud family), which brings some cool soil Merlot into the blend. Harvest September 6 to 28. 97 points

The 2022 Angelus is racy and super-expressive right out of the gate. These days a more restrained style has become the norm at Angelus, and yet there is plenty of mid-palate pliancy and overall richness. As good as this is, the most impressive 2022s I tasted at Angelus were straight out of barrel, which makes me think the Grand Vin could perhaps be at another level with a bit more selection. Even so, the 2022 is quite alluring. 93-95 points

This estate`s shift in the direction of gentler extraction and more reductive, less overtly oaky elevage continues, and this extreme vintage only underlines that. Fermented at cool temperatures (20 to 23 degrees Celsius), and with an increasing proportion of the wine`s Cabernet Franc component matured in large wooden foudres, the 2022 Angelus wafts from the glass with deep aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of iris, licorice and pencil lead. Full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a layered core of cool, vibrant fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish, it`s a brilliant young wine in the making. The 2022 is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 96-98 points