Chateau Angludet 2000

This 2000 is a more extensive wine for the class with a tremendous mid-palate impression of medium purple with a tight garnet rim—also, the fragrant perfume of flowers, black cherry jam, liquorice, and barbecue spice. Elegant, velvety-textured, medium-bodied, charming, and expansive, this 2000 is an outstanding value for the vintage and is ripe and sweet with fine structure and length. Perfumy and classy 'spa' nose, with the 'rancio' of blackberry, plum fruit, smoke and wood. Red fruits(strawberries and cherries) on the palate. Fresher and riper than its 2002 and 2003this 2000 finishes nicely with medium length, dry finish with balanced fruit and wood; the suitable alcohol; tamed, dense tannins; slowly evolving with discreet charm. This claret has the structure of a classified growth at a great price, Scores as folows should have been even better: RP92; JQM awards 90; we would also accord 92.

90-92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

First tasted in February 2002. A beautiful nose of blackcurrants, lemongrass and cherry. Great definition. The palate is classy, and poised, with well-integrated toasty oak. Very smooth tannins. Pure Cabernet Sauvignon that slips down the throat. The best d' Angludet that I have encountered! Tasted two years later, still a marvellous wine with an elegant nose of blackcurrants and oyster shells. Still a great definition. Well-balanced on the palate but more coarse than a couple of years ago, there is excellent depth and concentration. Still in its primary stage. (NM) (2/2004). Edited by our Staff Writer.

No scores were awarded by Wine Enthusiast, who writes, ' Attractive, fresh flavours with ripe, red fruits make this wine very forward and immediate...the ripe fruit and delicate perfumes will make it beautifully drinkable in five years. (RV) (6/2003). Also, no scores from Wine Spectator, who records, 'Fresh herb and berry character, with a medium body, medium tannins and a silky finish. It needs time to come around. Best after 2007. (JS) (3/2003). Edited by our Stadff Writer.

In a recent Olympian type of tasting, five seasoned wine tasters scored 2003 Angludet 3rd(weighted average score 88.68), beating a host of better knowns such as Boyd Cantenac, Cantenac Brown, Siran, La Gurgue, Dauzac, Ferriere, Marquis de Terme, Monbrison, Marjolla and others. The 2003 Angludent loses marginally to Durfort Viviens(87.15) and du Tertre(87.08). Thus this 2000 vintage may have scored the same or even better should the tasting repeat.

2000 is a good vintage for this Cru -like Margaux. Neighbouring vineyards are prestigious: Giscours, Brane-Cantenac, Kirwan. On pebbly stones on which no grass growth is possible. One of our first bottles of fine claret 30 years back.