Perhaps the best deal for Chateau Angelus in the marketplace today. Plush, polished, sensuous and richly textured, the fruit is ripe, sweet and shows both its black and red sides. Full bodied, with depth and concentration, this is already showing well, and is only going to get better from here.

This 7,500-case blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc is one of the strongest wines of the vintage. A deep blue/purple hue is accompanied by classic aromas of smoky blueberries and blackberries as well as incense and floral notes in the background. A beautiful texture, opulence, flamboyance, and purity characterize this stunningly deep, full-bodied effort, another great success from proprietor Hubert de Bouard. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022. - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Like the best of the St-Emilions of this vintage, Angélus seems to glow in the glass, the intensity of its color matched by the silken brocade of its tannin. My notes are all about the expression of those tannins-espresso beans, dark chocolate, relentless, aristocratic, too young to touch. The fruit reveals itself in merlot richness and cabernet franc power (a 60-40 blend), unlikely to show more detail before it's ten or 12 years old.

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2004 Angelus is deep garnet-brick in color. It opens with notes of leather, menthol, and iodine, leading to a core of stewed plums and blackberry preserves, plus a touch of wild sage and dusty soil. The medium-bodied palate offers lightly chewy tannins and a lively backbone to support the expressive, mature fruit, finishing on a savory note. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown