Angelus to become James Bond’s claret of choice

Château Angélus may soon become the only claret of choice for James Bond, according to owner Hubert de Bouard.

Speaking last Saturday at the World Wine Symposium in Lake

Como, de Bouard told Decanter.com he negotiated with the producers this year to make the wine a permanent fixture in the Bond Films.

He was prompted by the healthy increase in sales after a bottle of Angélus 1982 appeared for a few seconds in a key scene in the 2006 film Casino Royale.

‘I remember when Barbara Broccolli, a good friend, approached me to feature the wine in Casino Royale. For the first 8 months the response was limited and I saw no great difference in sales.

‘Then, as the recognition of the wine increased and the brand association grew and grew, so did sales along with it. A slow start but since then it has been unbelievable.’

de Bouard said he was confident his wine would become a staple of the long-running Bond franchise.

‘James Bond is a connoisseur, which is why I’m glad he drinks the 82 in that scene. Nothing is confirmed yet and we have to finalise the agreement, but I am confident that Angélus will feature in many future Bond films,’ de Bouard said.

Production of the 23rd Bond film, as yet untitled but originally due for release in 2011-12, has been delayed due to ‘continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of MGM’, producers said earlier this year.

Written by James Lawrence