Wine Advisor
L'Evangile 2008
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(an 88/12 blend of merlot and cabernet franc; 14% alcohol; from a crop level of just 27 hectoliters per hectare, according to estate manager Jean-Pascal Vazart) Saturated medium-deep ruby. Rather oaky, chocolatey nose hints at a very dense wine. Actually lighter on entry than expected, with ripe blackcurrant and balsamic black cherry flavors. Displays higher-than-usual acidity for this wine, and a distinctly peppery, long finish with a late kick of youthful but smooth tannins and more than a trace of alcohol. The cabernet franc was deemed to be so successful in '08 that it all went into the grand vin, so the second wine, Blason d'Evangile, is a rare 100% merlot.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Full, deep red-ruby. Exotic aromas of dark berries, cocoa, underbrush and ink. Thick, broad and full, but with lively acidity giving a light touch to the rich, dense dark fruit, balsamic vinegar and chocolate flavors. Finishes long and oaky, with an opulent, high-alcohol mouthfeel, big tannins and a note of fresh herbs.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau. This has a lovely, almost decadent nose with ripe black fruits, vanilla, melted dark chocolate with touches of violets. The palate is full-bodied with bold, firm tannins, good acidity, very lively and somehow joyful. A very attractive citrus thread, touches of blueberry and vanilla towards the finish that is very well defined with touches of tobacco lingering on the aftertaste. Tasted April 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A 2,700-case blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc cropped at a low 27 hectoliters per hectare (compare that with 39 hectoliters per hectare in 2009 and 31 in 2010), this superb claret was aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Mulberry, spring flower, black cherry and raspberry characteristics as well as hints of spice and coffee emerge from this full-bodied, opulent, structured beauty. It should age effortlessly for 15-20 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. Like Chateau Lafleur, this wine detests blind tastings and often comes across as rather “curmudgeonly”, deprived of its due attention apropos decanting etc. Unsurprisingly, the l’Evangile 2008 is a little reticent on the nose: floral red fruit, very Merlot dominated with no Cabernet Franc. It opens nicely in the glass and shows real precision. The palate has a touch of piquancy on the entry, sharp citric acidity, nice tension even though it is just a little abrasive towards the finish. It is pinched at the moment but it should open up and indeed, a second bottle was more animated and tense. Tasted January 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
It was an atypically late harvest at this famed Pomerol estate, beginning on September 29 and ending on October 14. Even more remarkable were the frighteningly low yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare. The final blend was 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, and the natural alcohol hit 13.7%, among the highest of the last one-hundred years. The acidity is surprisingly good given the ripeness of the fruit and the generally high alcohols in the 2008 Bordeaux. The dense purple-colored 2008 l’Evangile exhibits a floral nose of sweet mulberries, black currants, and black cherries, a full-bodied, lush texture, silky tannins, and an exceptionally fine finish. While not that evolved, this precocious Pomerol was tasting unusually well for such a young barrel sample. It should drink well for 15-20 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
En primeur barrel sample. A very hard green harvest - 27hl/ha. Lots of work with the soil and the selection during the harvest using their 38-45hl cuves. They taste every parcel to make micro-blends. A blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc and matured entirely in new oak. The harvest commenced on 29th September when the harvest for the 2007 finished!- It has a deep purple colour. The nose is very impressive, extremely pure and floral with lovely scents of blueberry, violets and cassis with a touch of vanilla. You can almost smell the silkiness. The palate is full-bodied, cashmere tannins, very harmonious and elegant with notes of blackberry, dark cherry, a hint of spice. But it is the texture that is so charming. A sensuous L-Evangile this year. Tasted April 2009.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Chocolate and berry and rich with gorgeous nose. Plums and berries. Full and super soft with a lovely velvety texture. Loads going on. Builds on the palate with a lovely depth of fruit and balance. A beauty.
About the Producer
Chateau L'Evangile is one of the most famous châteaux in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, France. In the mid-18th century, Chateau L'Evangile was owned by the Leglise family of Libourne, and its name, "Fazilleau", was recorded in the 1741 land register. At the beginning of the 19th century, the estate was bought by a lawyer named Isambert and renamed Chateau L'Evangile. Evangile is the French word for "gospel", and the renamed estate lived up to its name, becoming a true "gospel" of the Pomerol region. In 1862, Paul Chaperon acquired Chateau L'Evangile and made it famous through a series of efforts to give it a distinctive Second Empire style of architecture. In the second edition of Cocks Et Feret in 1868, Chateau L'Evangile was listed as a Premier Cru in the Haut-Pomerol region. After Chabron's death, his daughter inherited the estate, which she then brought to her husband's family, the Ducasse family, who ran the estate until 1990. In 1990, the estate was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite. Immediately after taking over, the group began a comprehensive reform and upgrading of the estate. The first steps included a more careful selection of the grapes used to make the main wine and the creation of Blason de L'Evangile, Pomerol, France, as a secondary wine. In addition, the renovation measures included a comprehensive reorganization plan: delaying the harvest as much as possible so that the grapes would be as ripe as possible, and controlling yields to a maximum of 4,500 liters per hectare in order to improve the quality of the vines, which was partially completed in 1998. 2004 saw the completion of the renovation of the winery and cellars, and the creation of a new layout for the estate. These vintages produced wines of excellent quality. Chateau L'Evangile is located in a unique location. The vineyard covers 22 hectares of sandy clay and gravel soils with a high iron content subsoil. The vineyard is planted with 80% Merlot and the remaining 20% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard's production is limited, and harvesting and many other tasks are done by hand. The winery employs Michel Rolland, the famous "flying winemaker", as a winemaking consultant. Under the management of the Lafite Group, the grapes from each parcel are divided into different lots in order to determine their potential for full-fledged wines at the final stage of fermentation. All aspects of the winemaking process are closely integrated with traditional techniques and proven modern technologies. During the fermentation process, the winery performs drenching and maceration, during which the wine is tasted several times. After fermentation, the wines are aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Due to the small size of the vineyard, the average annual production of the winery is 5,000 cases. Robert Parker, the famous wine critic, has praised Le Vin de Guignol as the "star of the future" of Pomerol and believes that it has the potential to grow even more under the leadership of Lafite. A book published many years ago, Grands Vins de Bordeaux, described the wines produced by the Rocquières as "full-bodied, elegant, and with unparalleled finesse."
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Package Size
12 x 75cl6 x 1.5L
