2023 Blason de L'Evangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Good quality, well constructed, enticing floral aromatics, raspberry fruits, freshly cut herbs, a little tight on the finish, not as plush last year's vintage but plenty to enjoy. Almost 80% of the wine comes from the sandier soils harvested early in September, with 15% new oak for ageing, with 20% kept out of oak entirely. Harvest September 4 to 28, 42hl/h yield, a record in recent years here - and this after green harvesting (while retaining leaf cover to guard against the heat spikes). Certified organic since 2021. 15% of overall production in Blason. No need to wait too long to being drinking.
Drink 2026 - 2036
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (April 2024)
The 2023 Blason de L'Évangile has an understated bouquet at first, though it soon finds its voice, revealing predominantly red cherries and raspberry fruit intermixed with violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins. Silky in texture with a hint of balsamic toward the finish, this will be an approachable Blason that can drink well for a decade.
Drink 2026 - 2036
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (April 2024)
The 2023 Blason de L’Évangile is a very pretty second wine. Pliant and expressive, with fine persistence, the 2023 offers up plenty of dark-toned fruit, along with touches of spice, leather, tobacco and incense that build with time. The darker, riper side of the year comes through nicely here. This is an unusual Blason that is mostly Merlot, with just a touch of Franc. There's a touch of tightness on the finish that hopefully will soften with élevage.
Drink 2025 - 2035
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (April 2024)
A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Blason de L’Evangile has a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a fairs bit of coaxing to bring out notes of fresh blackberries, raspberries, and wild sage, plus hints of black pepper and dusty soil. The medium-bodied palate is soft and subtle, with just enough freshness and a peppery finish. The alcohol is 13.5%.
Drink 2027 - 2037
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent (April 2024)
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Round and fresh with crunchy fruit. Light, sandy tannins. An early drinker.
Drink 2026 - 2032
James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com (April 2024)
Bursting with aromas of dark berries, plums, cherries and licorice, the 2023 Blason de l'Evangile is medium-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a supple, succulent palate framed by velvety tannins.
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
Blend: 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc.
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.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (April 2024)
The 2023 Blason De L'Evangile is based on 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has 20% in tank and the rest in barrel, 15% new. Its deep purple hue is followed by terrific aromatics of red and black fruits, subtle tobacco and chocolate, and some classic Pomerol damp earth and spice. It's beautifully textured, medium-bodied, and elegant, with fine tannins.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (May 2024)
About this WINE
Chateau l'Evangile
Château L'Evangile is one of the prestigious estates in Pomerol and produces some of the most sought-after wines in the appellation. It is located in the far east of the Pomerol appellation and its vineyards border those of Château La Conseillante, Château Gazin and Château Cheval Blanc. Its 14.1 hectares of vineyards (Merlot 78%; Cabernet Franc 22%) lie on deep gravel beds pitted with sand and clay.
The wine is vinified traditionally, undergoing a lengthy cuvaison followed by maturation in oak barriques (40% new) for 16-20 months. L`Evangile has always been a top-class estate but quality has been pushed noticeably higher since Domaines Baron de Rothschild of Château Lafite acquired a majority shareholding in 1990.
With Michel Rolland as consultant winemaker, the wines of L'Evangile are now challenging Pétrus and Lafleur in terms of their sheer class and quality.
Pomerol
Pomerol is the smallest of Bordeaux's major appellations, with about 150 producers and approximately 740 hectares of vineyards. It is home to many bijou domaines, many of which produce little more than 1,000 cases per annum.
Both the topography and architecture of the region is unremarkable, but the style of the wines is most individual. The finest vineyards are planted on a seam of rich clay which extends across the gently-elevated plateau of Pomerol, which runs from the north-eastern boundary of St Emilion. On the sides of the plateau, the soil becomes sandier and the wines lighter.
There is one satellite region to the immediate north, Lalande-de-Pomerol whose wines are stylistically very similar, if sometimes lacking the finesse of its neighbour. There has never been a classification of Pomerol wines.
Recommended Châteaux : Ch. Pétrus, Vieux Ch. Certan, Le Pin, Ch. L’Eglise-Clinet, Ch. La Conseillante, Ch. L’Evangile, Ch. Lafleur, Trotanoy, Ch. Nenin, Ch. Beauregard, Ch. Feytit-Clinet, Le Gay.
Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
In St.Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Blend: 95% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc.
With a high proportion of Merlot, this is naturally generous in style, with some plummy notes. The Merlot on the sandier soils provides a decent level of freshness. This second wine is not as floral as the grand vin; the Cabernet Franc used for this cuvée was harvested quite late and thus is not as aromatic. Nevertheless, there is much to admire. The team in place since 2019 definitely has a lighter touch.
Drink 2026 - 2035
Our score: 16/20
Berry Bros. & Rudd
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