Angélus slashes 2013 output by 40%

St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A estate Château Angélus has slashed the production of its 2013 grand vin by 40% in order to “protect” the brand.

Hubert de Bouard

With yields down by 20%, Bloomberg reports that the estate has produced a higher proportion of its second and third wines in 2013 in order to boost the quality of its grand vin.

The estate’s owner, Hubert de Boüard, put the reduced yields down to cold weather and rain during flowering coupled with a fiercely strict selection process.

Maintaining a positive outlook, he described Angélus 2013 as being “much better than people could expect,” due to its pronounced fruit and low alcohol level.

“It’s a consumer vintage with freshness, elegance and soft tannins. It’s not a blockbuster, but to balance the other vintages, we need this kind of vintage,” he told Bloomberg.

As for the price of the wine, de Boüard stressed the importance of “feeling the market.”

“The consumers are very sensitive with the price. They will be happy with the quality, but they are sensitive,” he said.

The 2012 vintage of Angélus saw a significant piece leap on the 2011 vintage due to its promotion to Grand Cru Classé “A” status in September 2012.

de Boüard is currently embroiled in a legal battle with French journalist Isabelle Saporta over a book published last month that takes a swipe at the “cruel, medieval micro-society” said to operate in St Emilion, which she compared to American TV show Dallas.

de Boüard is cited more than 60 times in the book and is accused of “manipulating” the classification system to the benefit of himself and his clients. As a result, he is suing Saporta and her publisher for defamation.