Château L'Évangile
About Château L'Évangile
As part of the Lafite Rothschild stable, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) became the sole owners of this beautiful property in 1998. Bringing with them the full power and talent of their Left Bank team, the wines swiftly ascended to the very top of Pomerol, developing a signature style packed with gorgeous fruit and utterly exceptional with bottle age.
Despite its relatively recent emergence as a force to be reckoned with on the Right Bank, Château L’Evangile is a monumentally historic estate. First mentioned in local records in 1741, the property seems to have been called Domaine de Fazilleau and Château L’Evangile alternately over the centuries. Its first owners, the Leglise family, were immensely important in the establishment of Pomerol as a great fine wine region, in many ways similar to its current owners the Rothschilds.
Viniculture
One of the largest estates in Pomerol at 22 hectares, Château L’Evangile is located on the Eastern side of the appellation near La Conseillante and Cheval Blanc. Being this close to St-Émilion, its soils match more closely with the legendary Cheval Blanc’s gravel corridor sitting atop a subsoil of heavy clay than the classic, pure thick clay of Le Pin, for example.
Almost infallibly one of the very earliest ripening sites in the region, this terroir produces what has come to be adored as Château L’Evangile’s signature style of intense, well-judged fruit, concentrated flavours and impossibly silky tannins. Generally a bit less expensive even than Carruades but punching up to Lafite's level, it is a magical estate that has emerged as one of the best in Pomerol.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£616.84 |
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James Suckling (94)Pretty aromas of crushed blueberries, with sliced mushrooms that follow through to a full body and chewy tannins with a lovely depth of ripe fruit. Bright acidity. Superb second wine from L'Evangile. Try in 2016. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£379.24 |
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James Suckling (92)A juicy and chewy young Bordeaux with chocolate, berry and walnut character. Medium to full body and polished tannins. Needs three to four years to soften. Second wine of L’Evangile. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 93 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£846.04 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (93)The 2016 L'Evangile Blason de l'Evangile is another brilliant second wine that delivers the goods. Showing a more upfront, fruit-loaded, opulent style, it gives up tons of cassis fruits, tobacco, incense, dried herbs, and graphite. With no hard edges, a full-bodied, rounded, sexy texture, and a great finish, it's a sexy, sexy Pomerol to drink over the coming 10-15 years, if not longer. |
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|
Bordeaux | 8 | 94 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£578.69 |
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Decanter (94)Expressive nose filled with softly perfumed red fruit with touches of blackcurrant and black cherries. Great acidity, prominent and clear giving such freshness on the palate. Feels quite delicate, lightly framed, not a huge volume in the mouth but still densely flavoured. Each element is well presented with integrated tannins and a lovely vein of almost creamy mint chocolate-laced blackcurrants and a wet stone minerality that lingers. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 89-91 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£506.69 |
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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)The 2021 Blason de L'Évangile is marked by bold, racy fruit and terrific energy. Crushed red berry fruit and lively floral notes abound in a classy, refined Blason. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Pretty floral accents grace the lifted, perfumed finish. The 2021 is a gorgeous Blason. |
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|
Bordeaux | 24 | 95-96 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£296.69 |
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James Suckling (95-96)The depth of fruit and creamy tannin structure show the class and beauty of this wine. It’s rich in ever-so-polished tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Medium to full body. Lovely finish. 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-96 (WCI) |
Inc. VAT
£985.24 |
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The Wine Cellar Insider (94-96)The Merlot was picked from September 20 through October 9. The Cabernet Franc was harvested over 2 days, October 6 and October 8. From a blend of 93% Merlot with 7% Cabernet Franc, this is one of the highest percentages of Merlot in the estate’s history. However, this was not due to the lack of ripeness in the Cabernet Franc. Much of the Cabernet Franc was replanted starting in 2006. It is expected that the estate will be using closer to 20% Cabernet Franc in the blend starting in 2020. The wine reached 14.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. Yields were low at 31 hectoliters per hectare. Deep ruby in color, the wine exudes truffle, chocolate, plum liqueur, tobacco, smoke, roses and cherries. On the palate, the wine is pure silk and velvet in texture with volume, depth and length. Picture chocolate-covered cherries that you can eat, or drink, your choice. 94-96 Pts |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 90-92 (VN (ST)) |
Inc. VAT
£1,326.04 |
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)Good deep ruby-red. Currant, roasted plum and oak notes of chocolate and coconut on the nose. Then bright, pure and atypically powerful, with penetrating berry and mineral flavors. This densely packed wine was still in barrel and had not yet been fined. Builds impressively on the finish, showing rather fine-grained tannins and lingering fruit and mineral nuances. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£801.64 |
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Wine Advocate (95)The 2014 L'Evangile comes racing out of the blocks on the nose with plenty of black cherry, blueberry, cold stone and black truffle scents, quintessentially Pomerol with impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy texture, lovely black fruit here laced with Earl Grey, spice and sage, quite intense and fanning out gloriously towards the long finish. This seems to have gained precision after bottling and I did warn that it may merit a higher score. This is a deeply impressive L'Evangile that might challenge Lafite-Rothschild in the long term. Chapeau! |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,295.86 |
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James Suckling (100)Stunning aromas of blackberries, black olives, brown sugar and dried flowers. Tar. Full-bodied, dense and layered. Superfine tannins, yet this is muscular and long. An amazing wine reminiscent of the great L’Evangiles of the 1950s. Straight track. Goes on and on. Truly great wine. Try in 2024. Just a baby. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,425.64 |
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James Suckling (99)So ethereal and great on the nose with glorious fresh flowers, such as violets, together with black olives. Dark berries, too. But the archetypal Pomerol nose. Full-bodied yet, at the same time, so refined and structured. Glorious tannin tension and focus. Vibrant finish. Shows energy and focus. Try after 2024. |
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|
Bordeaux | 4 | 97 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,220.44 |
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Wine Spectator (97)This is a breed apart, with a remarkably dense yet lithe core of braised fig, warmed plum sauce and steeped black currant fruit, coated with ganache and melted licorice details and infused with incense and black tea notes. Incredibly lush through the finish, but maintains cut and drive due to the well-embedded alder spine. Best from 2022 through 2040. 3,000 cases made. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,722.04 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)So attractive on the nose with blackberry, black olive and a hint of brown sugar. It’s full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins that flow across the palate. Rich, intense and flavorful finish with flavors similar to the aromas. Fleshy and toned at the end. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2025. |
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|
Bordeaux | 3 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£609.16 |
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James Suckling (97-98)Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 3 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£955.66 |
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James Suckling (97-98)Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98-99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,176.04 |
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James Suckling (98-99)This is so floral and pure, showing crushed-grape character with some walnut and crunchy seeds. It’s full-bodied, juicy and fresh. Purity of fruit. Juicy and long. 88% merlot and 12% cabernet franc. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,370.09 |
|||||
James Suckling (96-97)A pure, creamy and well-structured yet very fine Evangile. Long and caressing. Very fine tannins. Lots of fresh dark fruit and savory, mineral character. Understated and classy. 69% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 23 | 97 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£1,160.69 |
|||||
Decanter (97)Fragrant redcurrant and cranberry. Milk chocolate, vanilla, creamy, fruity and fresh with cherry and plum fruit. Cool and crisp, so much freshness straight away and so sleek, the weight is there in the density of the ripe fruit but this keeps a very slick frame. Lovely movement and energy, softly vibrant but also quite rich - a spectrum of cranberry and blackcurrant and plum fruit gives lots of different expressions with liquorice and tobacco on the finish. Chalky and stony, a lovely mineral grip too. Feels sophisticated, with balance, nothing sticks out, suave and elegant. I love it’s gentle expression though, doesn’t shout but this will be so great to drink and enjoy. I love it. Everything seems to be balanced delicately on a tightrope, with tenderness, density and tension. Really great and more finessed than some Pomerols. 3.8pH. Ageing 8% amphora, 50% new oak, 15% foudre, the rest used barrels. 42hl/ha yield. Green harvests were performed to drop 15-20% of the potential yield, given the team 'had never seen so many grapes on the vines'. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (JS) |
In Bond
£498.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (94)Pretty aromas of crushed blueberries, with sliced mushrooms that follow through to a full body and chewy tannins with a lovely depth of ripe fruit. Bright acidity. Superb second wine from L'Evangile. Try in 2016. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 92 (JS) |
In Bond
£300.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (92)A juicy and chewy young Bordeaux with chocolate, berry and walnut character. Medium to full body and polished tannins. Needs three to four years to soften. Second wine of L’Evangile. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 93 (JD) |
In Bond
£689.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (93)The 2016 L'Evangile Blason de l'Evangile is another brilliant second wine that delivers the goods. Showing a more upfront, fruit-loaded, opulent style, it gives up tons of cassis fruits, tobacco, incense, dried herbs, and graphite. With no hard edges, a full-bodied, rounded, sexy texture, and a great finish, it's a sexy, sexy Pomerol to drink over the coming 10-15 years, if not longer. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 8 | 94 (DC) |
In Bond
£463.00 |
|||||
Decanter (94)Expressive nose filled with softly perfumed red fruit with touches of blackcurrant and black cherries. Great acidity, prominent and clear giving such freshness on the palate. Feels quite delicate, lightly framed, not a huge volume in the mouth but still densely flavoured. Each element is well presented with integrated tannins and a lovely vein of almost creamy mint chocolate-laced blackcurrants and a wet stone minerality that lingers. |
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|
Bordeaux | 4 | 89-91 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£403.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)The 2021 Blason de L'Évangile is marked by bold, racy fruit and terrific energy. Crushed red berry fruit and lively floral notes abound in a classy, refined Blason. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Pretty floral accents grace the lifted, perfumed finish. The 2021 is a gorgeous Blason. |
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|
Bordeaux | 24 | 95-96 (JS) |
In Bond
£228.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95-96)The depth of fruit and creamy tannin structure show the class and beauty of this wine. It’s rich in ever-so-polished tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Medium to full body. Lovely finish. 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94-96 (WCI) |
In Bond
£805.00 |
|||||
The Wine Cellar Insider (94-96)The Merlot was picked from September 20 through October 9. The Cabernet Franc was harvested over 2 days, October 6 and October 8. From a blend of 93% Merlot with 7% Cabernet Franc, this is one of the highest percentages of Merlot in the estate’s history. However, this was not due to the lack of ripeness in the Cabernet Franc. Much of the Cabernet Franc was replanted starting in 2006. It is expected that the estate will be using closer to 20% Cabernet Franc in the blend starting in 2020. The wine reached 14.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. Yields were low at 31 hectoliters per hectare. Deep ruby in color, the wine exudes truffle, chocolate, plum liqueur, tobacco, smoke, roses and cherries. On the palate, the wine is pure silk and velvet in texture with volume, depth and length. Picture chocolate-covered cherries that you can eat, or drink, your choice. 94-96 Pts |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 90-92 (VN (ST)) |
In Bond
£1,089.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)Good deep ruby-red. Currant, roasted plum and oak notes of chocolate and coconut on the nose. Then bright, pure and atypically powerful, with penetrating berry and mineral flavors. This densely packed wine was still in barrel and had not yet been fined. Builds impressively on the finish, showing rather fine-grained tannins and lingering fruit and mineral nuances. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£652.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (95)The 2014 L'Evangile comes racing out of the blocks on the nose with plenty of black cherry, blueberry, cold stone and black truffle scents, quintessentially Pomerol with impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy texture, lovely black fruit here laced with Earl Grey, spice and sage, quite intense and fanning out gloriously towards the long finish. This seems to have gained precision after bottling and I did warn that it may merit a higher score. This is a deeply impressive L'Evangile that might challenge Lafite-Rothschild in the long term. Chapeau! |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,060.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)Stunning aromas of blackberries, black olives, brown sugar and dried flowers. Tar. Full-bodied, dense and layered. Superfine tannins, yet this is muscular and long. An amazing wine reminiscent of the great L’Evangiles of the 1950s. Straight track. Goes on and on. Truly great wine. Try in 2024. Just a baby. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,172.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)So ethereal and great on the nose with glorious fresh flowers, such as violets, together with black olives. Dark berries, too. But the archetypal Pomerol nose. Full-bodied yet, at the same time, so refined and structured. Glorious tannin tension and focus. Vibrant finish. Shows energy and focus. Try after 2024. |
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|
Bordeaux | 4 | 97 (WS) |
In Bond
£1,001.00 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (97)This is a breed apart, with a remarkably dense yet lithe core of braised fig, warmed plum sauce and steeped black currant fruit, coated with ganache and melted licorice details and infused with incense and black tea notes. Incredibly lush through the finish, but maintains cut and drive due to the well-embedded alder spine. Best from 2022 through 2040. 3,000 cases made. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,419.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)So attractive on the nose with blackberry, black olive and a hint of brown sugar. It’s full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins that flow across the palate. Rich, intense and flavorful finish with flavors similar to the aromas. Fleshy and toned at the end. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2025. |
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|
Bordeaux | 3 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
£501.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 3 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
£776.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98-99 (JS) |
In Bond
£964.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98-99)This is so floral and pure, showing crushed-grape character with some walnut and crunchy seeds. It’s full-bodied, juicy and fresh. Purity of fruit. Juicy and long. 88% merlot and 12% cabernet franc. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,122.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (96-97)A pure, creamy and well-structured yet very fine Evangile. Long and caressing. Very fine tannins. Lots of fresh dark fruit and savory, mineral character. Understated and classy. 69% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
Bordeaux | 23 | 97 (DC) |
In Bond
£948.00 |
|||||
Decanter (97)Fragrant redcurrant and cranberry. Milk chocolate, vanilla, creamy, fruity and fresh with cherry and plum fruit. Cool and crisp, so much freshness straight away and so sleek, the weight is there in the density of the ripe fruit but this keeps a very slick frame. Lovely movement and energy, softly vibrant but also quite rich - a spectrum of cranberry and blackcurrant and plum fruit gives lots of different expressions with liquorice and tobacco on the finish. Chalky and stony, a lovely mineral grip too. Feels sophisticated, with balance, nothing sticks out, suave and elegant. I love it’s gentle expression though, doesn’t shout but this will be so great to drink and enjoy. I love it. Everything seems to be balanced delicately on a tightrope, with tenderness, density and tension. Really great and more finessed than some Pomerols. 3.8pH. Ageing 8% amphora, 50% new oak, 15% foudre, the rest used barrels. 42hl/ha yield. Green harvests were performed to drop 15-20% of the potential yield, given the team 'had never seen so many grapes on the vines'. |