Château Angludet 2018

The deep colour of this wine is the portent of its intensity. The nose is tantalisingly fruity and full of promise. The cassis and blackberry aromas make this a taut wine on the whole, but pervaded by a certain softness. The palate is rounded and creamy, with velvety tannins, ripe fruit and a refreshing touch of acidity that creates a balanced whole, as well as delicate spices which evolve on the palate and lend unique character to this wine. The finish is long.

Very poor soil. Mixture of gravel and medium sized pebbles with some sand.

Biodynamic principles. The estate is currently in conversion to biodynamic viticulture. A leaf surface area of 1.2m² per grapevine fosters ripening, and grass cover is used when necessary to curb excessive vigour. Plant cover may be used to fertilise and promote microbial activity in the earth and raise soil quality. In addition to these techniques, manual leaf thinning helps aerate the bunches, while green harvesting is the ultimate means of regulating grapevine yield and ensuring uniform veraison.

Fermentation takes place in concrete vats which offer the advantage of excellent thermal inertia during the maceration phase.

The wine is then aged in barrels for 12 months. Every year, 30-35% of new oak barrels are introduced, sourced from a number of cooperages carefully selected to ensure complementarity; these barrels play a role in the ageing and complexity of the wine.