Chateau Angludet Margaux AOC 2016

The history of Chateau d'Angludet dates back to the 12th century, named after its first owner, Chevalier Bernard d'Angludet. Over time, the Chateau changed hands many times and eventually, in 1631, passed to Pierre du Mont — a wealthy politician. Under him, vineyards were established, and the wines gained popularity, as evidenced by their high prices in the early 18th century. In 1776, the estate was acquired by Pierre Legas, who undertook to expand, renovate, and develop the vineyards. His efforts led to increased production and a high reputation. Unfortunately, his descendants were not interested in the Chateau. After his death in 1791, the estate was divided among his four sons, and then further divided by the next generation. The vineyards were abandoned, and production fell to one-third of what it had been under Pierre. This is why the Chateau did not make it into the famous 1855 classification; it was simply not visible. The Chateau was forever classified as Cru Bourgeois. This fact was not very good for subsequent owners, but favorable for those who buy wine for taste and quality rather than titles and outdated classifications. The revival of Chateau d'Angludet began in 1961 when it was acquired by Peter Sichel, who owns part of Palmer. At that time, out of 80 hectares, only seven were vineyards. Peter, and later his son Benjamin, who took over the Chateau in 1989, gradually restored the vineyards. Today they cover 32 hectares of sandy-gravel terroir. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (35%), and Petit Verdot (10%) are grown. Over time, a significant portion of the Notton vineyards, owned by the Lurton family, was added to the Chateau's lands. They are managed with minimal chemical treatment; Benjamin Sichel prefers to use preventive methods: for example, planting grass between rows to prevent weeds; strong pruning of vines to reduce yields; thinning of foliage, which encourages grape ripening. Since 2008, the wine from Chateau d'Angludet has been renamed Chateau Angludet.