Chateau l´Evangile 2022

DECANTER: "Savoury notes on the nose, liquorice, cinnamon, spicy pepper with fragranced blackcurrant and black cherry and strawberry. Appealing juicines and fresh acidity, not at all sharp, but chalky balanced by a sleek frame, giving power and concentration but refreshing too with a crisp, wet stone bite that immediately offsets the acidity and fruit intensity. Doesn’t immediately shine out of the glass, this is more shy and calm. Definitely more straight and almost light in terms of expression (most of the power, opulence and oomph has gone into Blason), but this is extremely well made. So well constructed and delivered, just toned down, less shouty, more sophisticated, one to watch and will age wonderfully. 3.82pH. Ageing 10% foudre, 15% amphora, 50% new oak and the rest in one year barrels."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: „The 2022 L'Evangile is composed of 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of swirling to coax out notes of juicy black plums, boysenberry preserves, and black raspberries, followed by hints of garrigue, clove oil, lilacs, and licorice. The full-bodied palate is chock full of rich, multi-layered black fruits with velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and minerally."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Fresh, wonderfully refined and gorgeously polished and long, with very fine tannins. Medium to full body. Crunchy fruit and chocolate, hazelnut and spice. Exciting to see how this tensioned beauty will evolve. Wonderful clarity."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Given the young average age of this estate's vineyards, its well-draining soils and the extreme vintage, I was a little apprehensive; but the technical team evidently took the conditions in their stride, harvesting the east-facing side of the vines (which sees the hottest afternoon sun) four days earlier. The resulting 2022 L'Evangile is beautiful, offering up aromas of raspberries, vine smoke, black truffles, violets and gravely soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, it's seamless and polished, with a bright core of fruit and powdery tannins that temper 2022's inherent sweetness of fruit to sophisticated effect. At this early stage, it appears that the estate's progress with regards to élevage continues too, as Evangile's creamy oak signature is much released, allowing the fruit—and this superb terroir—to take center stage. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The Grand Vin checks in as 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 50% new oak, 15% in amphora, 10% in foudre, and the rest in used barrels. It has another level of purity and class, with ripe red and black cherries, leafy herbs, truffle, and spice-driven aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol offering beautiful tannins, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. Hitting 14.2% alcohol, with a pH of 3.84 and an IPT of 75, this classy, balanced Pomerol shines for its purity and finesse, and it should blossom with just short-term cellaring."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deep in color, the wine pops with its nose of violets, black cherry, spice, cinnamon, and chocolate. On the palate, the wine quickly focuses you on its core of black cherries, black plums, spices, cocoa, espresso, and savory herbs. Elegantly textured, with softness, refinement, length and freshness, the finish has length, purity, and freshness on the back end that stands out. The is a complete change in direction from the recent vintages that were focused more on density. With the 2022, the wine is about its elegant nature. The wine blends 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc and .05% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV, 3.8 pH. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place August 29 - September 14. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak, 15% amphora and 10% foudres. Drink from 2027-2055."

WEINWISSER: "Delikates introvertiertes Bouquet, dunkler Graphit, getrocknete Fliederblüten, Walderdbeere und roter Johannisbeernektar. Am sublimen trainierten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanningerüst und balancierter Rasse, sehr geradlinig und straff. Im gebündelten Finale mit rotbeerigen Konturen, tiefschürfender Terroirwürze und erhabenem Finale. Ein Rohdiamant aus Pomerol, der Geduld benötigt. 2030 – 2055."