CHATEAU D’ANGLES – CUVEE CLASSIQUE & GRAND VIN
Splash of Mediterranean Sunshine
Chateau d’Angles is a leading quality producer situated in the heart of La Clape, on the Mediterranean coast in France’s Languedoc region. Here, the Fabre family crafts exciting Grenache based red wines and surprising whites from the local Bourboulenc grape. Owner and winemaker Eric Fabre served as the Technical Director at Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux for nearly a decade, so having reached the pinnacle of Cabernet based red wines, he turned his attention to finding the perfect place to pursue a new direction emphasizing Grenache based reds.
Along with his wife, Christine, Eric Fabre began his search in 2001 and quickly discovered the magic of this southern French coastal terroir. Since their purchase of Chateau d’Angles that same year, this stunning estate has received 35 Gold Medals – and a ton of exciting coverage from leading wine critics around the globe, including Decanter Magazine, Jancis Robinson and others. Here at Chateau d’Angles, the Fabre family produces a small range of exciting, artisan wines. It begins with carefully tended vineyards where the grapes are picked entirely by hand, carefully sorted and that elusive touch of magic – the gift of a great winemaker – brings together the best of traditional wine growing and modern techniques.
The terroir here in La Clape offers the ideal – seemingly contradicting – combination of a giving Mediterranean climate with over 300 days of sunshine each year, juxtaposed against a hostile and demanding landscape characterized by hard, stony, well-draining limestone soil. Add a splash of typical southern French “garrigue” (pine trees, thyme, rosemary, juniper and the aromatic cistus bushes all growing wild alongside the vineyards) and the result is ripe, generous wines with abundant Mediterranean personality.
2015 Chateau d’Angles Cuvee Classique
$18.95 per 750mL bottle
“A blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, the 2015 Languedoc-La Clape Classique from Chateau d’Angles sports a deep purple color to go with a unique bouquet of ripe cranberries, blueberries, licorice, white pepper and bay leaf. Fresh, lively and clean, with lots of fruit and texture, it has no hard edges, sweet, sweet fruit, bright acidity and a great finish. It should keep for 4-5 years.”
91 out of 100 Points – RobertParker.com
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2012 Chateau d’Angles Grand Vin
$28.95 per 750mL bottle
“Slightly more modern in style, the 2012 La Clape Grand Vin is sensational blend of 55% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 5% Carignan. Completely destemmed, it saw a whopping 50 day maceration before having the Syrah and Mourvèdre moved to 225-Liter barrels (33% new) and the Grenache to vat, where it stayed for a year. At that point, it was all blended together, and moved to vat for another 12 months before being bottled with no fining or filtration. It exhibits lots of crème de cassis and black raspberry fruit to go with subtle oak (which fades with time in the glass), melted licorice and graphite. This gives way to a medium-bodied, pure, elegant red that has gorgeous purity of fruit, a great mid-palate and fine tannin that emerges on the finish. This is high quality juice that can be enjoyed now, or cellared for 4-5 years, possibly longer.”
92 out of 100 Points – RobertParker.com
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