In No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s Bond pours two glasses of Château Angélus Saint-Émilion, a 2005, for himself and Moneypenny at Q’s home. It is a quiet choice: a serious Bordeaux opened at home rather than at a casino. Bond had already shared the same wine with Vesper in Casino Royale, so the bottle carries some history.
Drinking Château Angélus Saint-Émilion now
The de Boüard de Laforest family has been associated with the estate since 1782. The vineyard is planted mostly with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the wine spends 18 to 22 months in French oak. Angélus was ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” in 2012, then withdrew from the classification in 2022, so labels from the 2022 vintage show only Saint-Émilion Grand Cru.
We would serve it at home with roast lamb or an aged hard cheese, cool rather than warm, and give a young bottle an hour or two in a decanter. A 2005 now comes from the secondary market, so buy only from a merchant who documents storage. Otherwise the 2021, the last vintage under the Premier Grand Cru Classé label, is the one we would look for. More bottles are in Food & Drink.
Specifications
| Producer | Château Angélus, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux |
|---|---|
| Vintage in the film | 2005 |
| Grapes | Mostly Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with a small share of Cabernet Sauvignon or Petit Verdot in some years; proportions vary by vintage |
| Ageing | 18 to 22 months in French oak |
| Classification | Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” up to and including the 2021 vintage; Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from 2022 |
| Bottle | 75cl |
| Price | Varies by vintage; see the retailer |
Full details of the estate and its wines are on Château Angélus’s own site.
