Perhaps one of the finest second wines in all of St. Emilion, le Carillon d’Angelus is by no means second rate. And it’s no wonder - with Carillion’s heady pedigree, you’d be a fool for not looking beyond the first wine for a taste of something spectacular.

Carillion is a relatively new addition to the famous Angelus family. First released in 1987, the wine might still only be in its twenties (and who doesn’t remember the folly of their youth?) but has all the maturity of something more than twice its age. This is largely due the rigorous standards that Carillion is put through prior to going on sale: vinification and ageing techniques are as per its big brother, but are adapted to the newer wine with precision. This attention to detail, sense of tradition and vast savoir faire has taken Carillion to the next level. Carillion d’Angelus has in fact proved so successful that owners Stephanie de Boüard-Rivoal and her cousin Thierry Grenié today dedicate a sizable percentage of their Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon vines to it.

Despite the de Boüard family being in the St. Emilion region for over 700 years, Angélus is still a baby compared to many other Bordeaux wines; not having been born until 1782. Yet the estate only began properly in 1909, when Maurice de Boüard de La Forest inherited the vineyard and began purchasing neighbouring land. Angélus now has 42 hectares of land on south facing St. Emilion slopes, with 27 being devoted to Château Angélus and the other 20 to Carillon d’Angelus and Nº3 d’Angelus, their “more approachable” wines.

Despite (or perhaps because of) its popularity the wine is becoming increasingly hard to find. Its reputation of drinkability precedes it and even though it is one of the most expensive red wines from Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, prices have been climbing steadily over the past five years. Today (Q4 2020) both the 2015 and the 2017 vintages can be picked up for less than €100, offering potentially great returns for the investor, yet still being affordable enough for the dinner table. Both have a respectable 90/100 score from the Wine Advocate.