Château Angélus, St Emilion,

The 2008 Angélus is a vintage that I have tasted many times. It boasts a rich but fortunately not overbearing bouquet adorned with macerated red cherries, camphor, hints of jalapeño pepper and later, a tang of dried blood, almost ferrous. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth polished tannin matched with well judged acidity. It is backward in style to the point that you could almost describe it as charmless, though that is by dint of its youthfulness. It just needs time. Signaling that this Angélus clams up towards the finish as if to say: Too early. You know what? It is probably right. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirits' annual vertical tasting.)