Sunny day, got invited to barbecue at Remo and Nicole's place.
Château Angélus St. Emilion 1998
Thanks to Remo. Plummy garnet-ruby. A thick, ripe and rich wine of fine fruit density and sweetness, with attractive tobacco and herb notes. Complex plum, morello, black raspberry and floral notes. Lovely little inkiness to the tannin. Some already well-integrated attractive, sweet oak. Fatter perhaps, but with softer structure than the 1995, but no less pleasure to drink. So balanced it should age nicely, nothing to say against early harmony. Very good body. Drenches the palate with fruit and tannin, quite long. Round wine- and oak-induced spice notes of cinnamon, soft clove. Quite modern-styled, but the fine terroir is still allowed to shine through. At this stage best enjoyed right after the cork is pulled, drinking nicely for a couple of hours, but eventually closing up in the decanter, thus tasting drier with quite finely-grained tannin. Ultimately a young wine in need of more bottle age, though not at all bad now. There is a chance I am underestimating this wine’s potential. Rating: 93+
Château Angélus St. Emilion 1993
Half bottle thanks to Remo. More evolved pruney-garnet ruby-black. Mature, nicely open on the nose. The tobacco top notes are very pretty, tender leafiness here, less fruit sweetness, but what is there is firm, nicely precise and minerally pruney dried cherry. Finely-grained tannin. Quite good subtlety and depth, no undue dryness or dustiness to the tannin, soft steely acidity. Some minty chocolate and dried herbs with airing. Impressive concentration and body for the vintage. Good length. Currently showing better even than the 1993 Haut Brion. Even so, best enjoyed over the next few years. Rating: 91-
Greetings from Switzerland, David.