The Wine Fairy

Hark how the bells!

Sweet silver bells!

All seem to say, “Throw cares away!

“It’s Merlot day!”

(Okay–so I made up that last part.)

It’s not only the freaking “Carol of the Bells” that’s living rent-free in my head today, but the famous bells of Château Angelus. Located in a natural amphitheater, the Château’s vineyards would amplify the peals from three nearby church bell towers. The bells called workers to pause for the Angelus prayer at morning, noon, and evening. (Ding, dong, ding, dong…)

Those vines have been listening to bell songs for literal centuries…which kind of puts the annual annoyance of Christmas earworms into perspective. So in their honor, the wine we have chosen for this #MerlotThursday is No. 3 d’Angelus Saint-Émilion Grand Cru.

Beautiful Bordeaux ruby in the glass with a thin, very slightly orange-ish rim. On the nose, I get super-ripe fruit (blackberry/black cherry), baked plum, cocoa dust, graphite, wet violet, old cedar, cinnamon, and the barest trace of vanilla.

This wine has medium-plus body and a soft overall texture. Still, if you have your mouth set for “big smooshy Saint-Émilion,” you’ll find it slightly more angular than that. The palate adds small berries (blackcurrants, cranberry), iron, even more cedar and graphite, and a medium drying finish of cherry skins and Roma apple skins. After 40 minutes in the glass, it exudes interesting “bonus” aromas of star anise, sweet soy, and hoisin sauce.

It’s Merlot’s party here, but Cabernet Franc is being a charming guest. According to No. 3’s spec sheet, the Cab Franc portion is usually around 5%. But some recent vintages have up to 10% (plus the usual 5% Cab Sauv), and the 2020 tastes like it. Some signature Cab Franc notes–lifted violet and pencil shavings–help complement the plummy Merlot fruit of a warm year.

This wine shows quite differently at different temperatures. Served around 55° F, it offers piles of soft dark berries lightly outlined with barrel spices. Easy and smooth. Warming it slightly releases its floral, cedar, and peppery fragrance, plus a little alcohol heat.

At room temperature, the wine’s savory, mineral character really comes to the forefront. And so, the story of its complexity isn’t told in every sip, but emerges frame-by-frame, like a film clip watched in slow motion.

No. 3 is (of course) the third wine from Château Angelus, after the Grand Vin and the Carillon d’Angelus. Tempo d’Angelus is a new-ish fourth label, launched in 2019.

Both the No. 3. and the Tempo (which I also tasted recently) are marked by fresh purple-y berries with the lightest touch of oak. For the current No. 3 vintage, there is no new oak aging–only one- and two-year-old barrels are used for a portion of the wine. The grapes are sourced from seven hectares spanning three soil types, in order to create a balanced and layered Merlot expression.

The No. 3 is built from mostly younger vines that are waiting for their debut in the Carillon d’Angelus. This is an accessible, early-drinking wine and is not likely to gain too much from bottle aging, but can potentially be held for 5-7 years.

Buyers note: Prices for the No. 3 d’Angelus are all over the place. My local H-E-B supermarket has it for $46.99, which is fair. I’ve also seen it as high as $90 retail online. It’s fine if you wanna spend that–but I think there are probably better values in Saint-Émilion when you’re shopping for second and third wines.

Bottle: No. 3 d’Angelus Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2020) – Bordeaux, France

Variety: Merlot (85%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%)

ABV: 14.5%

Average retail: $68

My rating: 8.8 (out of 10)

Pour yourself a Merlot and join in! Or, see past #MerlotThursday reviews here.

Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.

This week’s Merlot was enjoyed at The Wine Authority (Richardson, TX).