The chateau (castle) derives its name from a very old vineyard, where the wine growers could hear the angelus bell ringing simultaneously from three churches.
Elevated to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé* (first-growth) and recognized worldwide as one of the jewels of Saint Emilion, Chateau Angelus reflects the family’s strong desire to celebrate their product’s fine qualities. In order to attract an even larger number of visitors to the chateau, particularly Japanese and American tourists who are lovers of select wines, the management of Chateau Angelus decided to use lighting to display its magnificent property to best effect. To do so, it relied on the professional expertise of CSO Libourne and the installer Philippe Quiros, who specializes in chateau lighting.
The owners were inspired by the lighting installed at certain prestigious monuments, such as the Louvre Museum’s eastern courtyard (the Cour Carrée), the bridges of Paris (including the Pont Neuf, St-Michel and Louis Philippe spans) and the Institut de France.
Designed as a miniature light ramp, the linear lighting fixtures are made out of high-tech, high-precision metal and use durable xenon lamps with warm-toned lighting and an intensive reflector that magnifies their power.
Some 180 Louvre lights were installed on the roof overhangs, level with the gutters. While invisible by day, at night they create a luminous outline of the chateau and its various facades. A second, 22-metre section was subsequently installed.
Comptoir du Sud-Ouest (CSO)
Head office: Bordeaux
Branches: 39
Employees: 430
* Grand Cru Classé is the second-highest category for wines ranked under the Saint Emilion classification, as set forth in 1953 (later revised in 1969 and 1985). As of 1985, the 63 chateaux with this status may label their wines Grand Cru Classé.
