The 2005 Château Angelus has been absolute pure perfection every time I’ve been lucky enough to taste it, surpassing the 1990 and rivaling the 2009 and 2018. Based on 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, it has a dense ruby/plum hued to go with mammoth-sized aromatics of red and black currants, smoked tobacco, scorched earth, truffle, and smoke. Incredibly concentrated, full-bodied, and massively concentrated, it has beautiful tannins and flawless balance. While I certainly appreciate the slightly more dialed back, finesse-driven style of Angelus today, tasting this sensational, singular beauty makes me miss this powerful, more opulent style.

Truly great stuff, this wine performed at a three-digit level both in the horizontal tasting of 2005s in Baltimore, as well as in Montreal at this mini-vertical. This sensational, opaque, bluish/purple wine offers up notes of vanillin, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, plus a touch of licorice. The wine hits the palate with a thunderous cascade of ripe, rich, concentrated fruit. It is full-bodied, multidimensional and layered. The tannins are beautifully integrated but still present, and the wood, acidity, alcohol, etc., are all beautifully assimilated in this magnificent, majestic vintage of Angelus. It can be drunk now, but it is still an adolescent and that suggests it has at least another 25-35 years of longevity. - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 Angelus is deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It needs a fair bit of patient swirling to unlock notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote, fruitcake, and cigar box, plus suggestions of licorice and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate is concentrated with black fruit and exotic spice layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a long-lingering aniseed note. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The Château Angelus 2005 has a powerful bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, freshly cut violets and minerals all very well defined and poised. The palate is full-bodied with pure, quite toasty and slightly lactic black fruit. There is great depth here, immense density and yet it keeps control and focus right to the finish. Perhaps it does not quite possess the precision as the Canon ’05, but it is still a deeply impressive wine from Hubert de Bouard.