Vintage Cellar hosts a wonderfully convivial evening discussing and tasting Château Angélus at London’s famous Ivy Club.

The effortlessly charming Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, manager of star-studded St. Emilion estate, Château Angélus and her good friend Selim Bocti, CEO of Fine Wine App, Vintage Cellar, joined forces to host a glamorous evening of fine wine tasting and conversation at the beautiful Ivy Club in the heart of London West End. Members of the Ivy Club, and a hand-selected group of wine writers were invited listen to Stéphanie’s stories of growing up in one of Bordeaux’s most important estates, and Selim invited questions about fine wine’s latest innovations using the Vintage Cellar Phone App.

Château Angélus is one of the greatest successes in Bordeaux of recent times, making it to the top of the St. Emilion Classification alongside Cheval Blanc, Ausone and Pavie in 2012. It has been subsequently an extremely keen investment opportunity, following three outstanding vintages, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Those attending the evening were treated to a tutored tasting of each of these vintages, alongside Carillon d’Angélus 2015, the Château’s secondary release, something Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal has been keen to grow, to represent a more affordable face of Château Angélus, offering Grand Cru Classé quality at a price, and in a style that allows for earlier consumption while still providing ample opportunity to improve in bottle. The room was alive with discussion over which vintage each attendee preferred, but there seemed to be no doubt that the wines stimulated their palates and made for a very special evening. In brief the vintages showed as follows:

Carillon 2015 An intensely fruity and warm, showing the success of Cabernet in that year. Already very accessible but not without a firm Cabernet backbone. Vigorous, and dry on the palate. Ideally to be kept another year or two. Angélus 2014 One of the superstars of Bordeaux this year, and a great example of what must be one of the most underrated ‘Right Bank’ vintages of recent years. Profound plummy herby perfume on the nose, leading to a mouth-watering cigar box and bramble palate. Very long and stylish, but svelte, like a tailored suit. Delicious already, but really warrants another five years in the cellar. Angélus 2015 Typical warm pain d’épices aromas of the very ripe 2015, with overtones of warm redcurrant couli, cocoa powder and blueberry muffin. In the mouth, it is very much more serious with swathes of broad, ripe, powerful tannin, with a finish of red liquorice. A keeper. Angélus 2016 A nose still packed with youthful violet and cherry aromas. Hard to believe that is already five years old. Very pure and poised. On the palate, it has the freshness of ripe mulberry and dark plum fruit, layered on top of very fine but nothing short of marble-firm tannin. This is a wine of immense structure and age-potential, needing the best of twenty years to reach its potential. Despite its firmness, this is true claret with almost perfect shape. Stunning. The Ivy served some canapés, including the world-famous Ivy shepherd’s pie, providing welcome relief from the generous tannin in the wines. This really was a wonderful evening that encapsulated the soul of Vintage Cellar – like-minded wine enthusiasts effortlessly connecting their love for fine wine with financial opportunity.