Le Carillon d'Angélus 2018

Wild-strawberry, blackberry and blueberry aromas with some spices and herbs. It's full-bodied with a balance of firm yet elegant tannins. The savory mid-palate leads to a clean finale with serious length. Hard not to drink this now, but it needs four or five years to show its true excellence. Second wine of Angelus. Try after 2025.

Dark, intense and beautiful color. Intense, fine, fruity, ripe and subtle nose. This unprecedented aromatic precision is found this year in the three wines produced by Angélus. It's new and very pleasant. Meticulous in attack, juicy in development and even complex in the middle, this wine melts, delicate in its texture, juicy, finely pulpy, towards a long, tasty finish. Blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc.

A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Le Carillon d'Angélus comes bounding out of the glass with bold notes of crushed blackberries, black raspberries and wild blueberries plus hints of spice Wooden box, damp soil , smoked meats and fallen leaves plus a waft of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruits with firm, rounded tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and earthy. -Lisa Perrotti-Brown.

This is well constructed, with depth and flexible tannins. It has slightly more Cabernet Franc than normal, which helps add definition and lift to those rich and solid-limbed black fruits. Extremely silky. 50% new oak. A cellar is under construction specifically for this wine and the Angélus No 3, which should be ready for the 2019 vintage. -Jane Anson.