2023 Château l'Evangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux

78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample.

Round, svelte and poised with tannins that give drive and length. Oak still needs to be absorbed but there’s a gentle quality to the wine.

Drink 2030 - 2040

Coming on board in 2020, winemaker and technical director Juliette Couderc continues to fine-tune this estate, and the style is unquestionably more refined and precise today compared to releases just 10-15 years ago, all without losing the inherent seamless, elegant, yet textured L'Evangile style. Based on 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, and the final 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Château L'Evangile comes from healthy yields of 42 hectoliters per hectare and is resting in roughly 50% new French oak, with a portion in foudre and amphora.

Gorgeous black cherries, blackberries, spicy oak, graphite, and hints of tobacco all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and velvety tannins. This is a classy, aristocratic, yet ripe and textured l’Evangile that should benefit from just 4-6 years of bottle age.

A blend of 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 L’Evangile has a pH of 3.7. It is deep garnet-purple in color and on the nose oaky overtones soon give way to a core of baked plums, stewed black cherries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of dried herbs, mossy tree bark, and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is lightly chewy, with soft acidity and savory accents to the black berry flavors, finishing with an herbal lift. The alcohol is 13.5%.

Drink 2028 - 2042

Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of dark berries, spices, licorice and petals, framed by a sweet patina of new oak, the 2023 L'Evangile is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a supple, integrated core that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins.

It's a blend of 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, checking in at 13.5% alcohol, that was harvested between September 4 and 28.

The 2023 L’Évangile is sensual and plush in the glass. Silky, refined tannins wrap around a core of dark-toned fruit, spice, mocha, leather and dried flowers. This opens nicely, leading to an explosive, deep finish that is quite compelling. Élevage is 50% new oak, 27% once-used barrels, 15% 26hL cask and 8% amphora. It's another fine effort from the team led by Technical Director Juliette Couderc.

Drink 2030 - 2048

The 2023 L'Évangile was picked from September 4 to 28 at 42hL/ha, which is the highest for many years. Matured in 50% new oak including 15 foudres) and 8% in amphoras my sample only from used barrels), this has a very floral and precise bouquet with dark red fruit, blueberry, hints of blood orange and light sous-bois scents. It's very L'Evangile. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Crisp and precise, there’s fine tension toward the finish with a lingering black pepper note. This is a lovely L'Évangile that deserves five or six years in bottle. It will be worth the wait. 

Drink 2029 - 2055

78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A fine line of tannins runs through this medium- to full-bodied wine. Chocolate, walnut and lead pencil on very fine tannins. Classy and focused, providing elegance with strength. Tight at the end.

A fascinating exercise in terroir, as this shows the same alcohol as the Blason, but the density, fruit character and even the IPT tannin) count are very different. You see the impact of clay soils in the building of the powerful architecture and the plush damson and black cherry fruits. There is density but tenderness to the tannins, with grilled caramel that gives a beautiful Pomerol signature. Violet floral edging arrives towards the finish, as things open up, and this is an impressive L'Evangile that can age with ease.

42hl/h yield, a record in recent years here. Certified organic since 2021. Great stuff from technical director Juliette Couderc.

Drink 2029 - 2048

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 its 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'.

Drink 2034 - 2048