CHATEAU ANGLUDET AOC Margaux 2022 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
2022 D'Angludet is a mischievous Margaux: ripe, concentrated fruit brightened by lively acidity, floral lift and a firm tannic spine. Deep ruby, exuberant blackcurrant and Morello cherry meet rose petal and violet, with warmed leather, cedar and a savoury olive seam. Silky texture, sleek tannins and a citrus lift keep it fresh; mid-palate graphite and liquorice add intrigue. Long, coaxing finish of dark chocolate, flint and aniseed. Drink 2026–2034, or cellar for more savour. Critics: Decanter 95 (“fragrant”), Vinous 92 (“seductive”), The Wine Advocate 91–93 (“inky cassis”). A poised, generous Margaux — ready for fun now or reward with patience. Fermented cool to preserve freshness, then aged in subtle French oak and amphora to frame rather than overpower the fruit.

ABOUT THIS WINE
The 2022 growing season in Bordeaux was warm and dry and produced wines that are ripe and concentrated while retaining bright natural acidity when handled carefully. Angludet typically blends Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a mix that brings floral lift and a firm tannic spine. Fermentation is conducted with careful temperature control to preserve freshness and to extract refined tannin. The wine then sees élevage in oak barrels, the wood used to frame rather than overwhelm the fruit, leaving gentle spice and vanilla notes.

The wine pours a deep ruby with a hint of violet at the rim and immediately feels like a guest who arrives with a grin and a bag of good stories. The first breath is bright blackcurrant and Morello cherry, a jubilant fruit core that is quickly joined by rose petal and pressed violet as if someone has tucked a small posy into the bottle. There is a pleasing earthy thread too, warmed leather and a whisper of cedar from careful oak which gives the nose an approachable gravity.

On the palate the 2022 is lively and generous. Dark berry fruit leads with blackberry and damson, layered over a citrus lift that keeps the profile fresh rather than heavy. Tannins are sleek and polished rather than firm, supplying structure without clumsiness, and acidity is crisp enough to add bounce and clarity. Mid palate notes of graphite and a touch of liquorice appear, adding contrast and intrigue. There is a savoury seam of olive tapenade and roasted herbs that gives the wine a more adult appeal and broadens the flavour spectrum.

The texture is silky and the progression through the palate is confident. Flavours shift and reveal themselves like chapters in a well told story, each sip offering something slightly different. The finish is long and coaxing with dark chocolate, a flinty mineral reminder of Margaux terroir and a final echo of aniseed that lingers in a most agreeable way.

Suggested drinking window: 2026 to 2034.

This is a Margaux that balances classic poise with a touch of mischief. Drink now for immediate pleasure or cellar to enjoy deeper savoury development and more complex tertiary notes within the stated window.

DECANTER 95 points
Drinking Window: 2025 - 2045 - Really fragrant, you can smell the Petit Verdot with milk chocolate and blackcurrant aromas - open, fresh, appealing, perfumed, generous and lifted. Clean and pure on the palate with a lovely delicacy of flavour and freshness. Black fruit has concentration but this keeps a sleek, focussed frame - so balanced, moreish and perfectly weighted in the mouth. Juicy, chewy, spiced - complete and long and leaves you wanting more. A complex and mouthwateringly fresh Margaux with tang and style. One to look out for! 3.8pH. A yield of 26hl/ha. Ageing 12 months; 30% amphora, 70% French oak (30% new). The first time in Angludet history that the blend has been finalised before ageing.

VINOUS 92 points
Drinking window: 2029 - 2055
The 2022 Angludet, which was cropped at 26 hl/ha, has a delightful bouquet with black cherry, iodine and violet aromas developing with time. This has lovely purity that blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, very pure and poised with fine tannins. It's tensile and not a powerful Margaux, but very seductive with a touch of salinity urging you back on the finish. This will be ready early on but will drink well for many years. - Neal Martin. Tasting date: January 2025

THE WINE ADVOCATE (91 - 93) points
The Bordelais machine has already begun to alienate potential consumers with exaggerated claims to the effect that 2022 is "the best vintage ever"; yet there are some wines that do actually appear to merit such hyperbole, and the 2022 D'Angludet is one of them. Offering up deep aromas of inky cassis, plums, pencil lead and subtle spices, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a broad attack, ripe acids and a supple, seamless profile, concluding with an expansive finish.

JAMES SUCKLING 91 points
Earthy and rich with currant, meat and spice undertones. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Needs two or three years to soften. Better in 2017. Delicious Angludet.

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ABOUT CHÂTEAU ANGLUDET
Château Angludet is situated in the heart of Margaux, known for producing wines characterised by elegance, perfume, and a finely grained structure rooted in the gravelly Médoc soils. The estate’s modern identity is closely linked to the Sichel family, who acquired Angludet in 1961 and restored the vineyard and cellar following decades of neglect. This purchase and the family's long stewardship revitalised Angludet's reputation and restored the property to consistent quality within the Margaux appellation.

Today, the estate remains in family hands, managed by the descendants of Peter and Diana Sichel, with several family members actively involved in the day-to-day operations and international promotion of the wines. Management and winemaking responsibilities have largely rested with Benjamin Sichel, who has overseen the vineyard and vinification for many years, adopting a careful, terroir-focused approach that emphasises low yields, rigorous selection, and parcel-by-parcel vinification. Ben's sensibility is central to Angludet’s style, which is aromatic, precise, and ageable rather than overtly powerful.

Under the Sichel stewardship, Angludet’s vineyard spans approximately thirty-two hectares, predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside significant Merlot and a higher-than-average proportion of Petit Verdot, which the team utilises to enhance colour and structure in certain vintages. The gravelly soils and good drainage encourage even ripening, producing fruit with clear structure and aromatic lift. Vineyard practices prioritise canopy management, precise harvest timing, and selective hand-picking to ensure that healthy, ripe fruit reaches the winery.

Winemaking at Angludet emphasises parcel-level vinification, with controlled temperature fermentation and gentle extraction to preserve floral perfume and primary fruit character. Ageing occurs in French oak barrels, with proportions tailored to each vintage to add texture and complexity without overpowering the fruit. The team has also incorporated experimental vinification methods, such as amphora fermentation, alongside traditional cask élevage, providing additional means to express vintage nuance and site specificity.

The estate has moved towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, holding HVE3 and ISO 14001 certifications while exploring organic and biodynamic methods in parts of the vineyard. In the glass, Angludet typically displays violet and rose aromatics over red and dark fruit, fine-grained tannins, and a silky, lingering finish that rewards medium-term cellaring. As a family-run Margaux estate with attentive winemaking and progressive vineyard practices, Château Angludet offers wines that are both accessible in youth and capable of graceful evolution over a decade or more.