Château l'Evangile 2021

Expressive and ripe-fruited, with plum, blackberry, mint, espresso and black truffle. On the palate, dense, a mouthful of wine, lots of silkiness, surprisingly powerful, fine-grained tannins, a saline, red-fruited finish.

Unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark cherries and berries mingled with notions of licorice, black truffle, rose petal and iris, the 2021 L'Evangile is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a broad and textural attack that segues into a charming, succulent mid-palate framed by sweet, powdery tannins. This saw only two rackings, and some 15% matured in amphora, with the rest in barriques that are less toasty than in the past; the result of these and other initiatives is a much more timeless expression of this property. Bottled in May 2023.

Smells concentrated and quite bold, a heady nose with dark fruits and gorgeous perfumed Cabernet notes. Succulent and juicy on the palate, really appealing and charming, juicy yet dense; you get plump fruit here rather than a piercing focus, giving more mouthful than some others, yet still with detail to the fine tannins—ripe fruit, cherry, blackcurrant and plum—with a long finish. Persistent on the palate, it never lets up, slowly building from start to finish, giving a cool, delicate, refined profile while remaining grippy and attention‑holding. You can tell they achieved full ripeness here, but there’s also this lovely cooling, slate aspect—the soft chalkiness that arrives on the finish. I like this—the initial intensity, the directness of black fruit, then the chalky texture. Feels nicely complete and one of the larger, denser wines of the vintage. A yield of 20 hl/ha with all the Cabernet Sauvignon going into the grand vin. Juliette Couderc, technical director. First year certified organic.

Complex and subtle aromas of black cherries, chocolate and violets with hints of nutmeg and hazelnuts that open to a medium to full body, with fine and polished tannins that integrate nicely then grow beautifully at the end. 69% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. Better to be patient and taste after 2027.

69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample. The move towards greater elegance and finesse confirmed. Floral violet notes. Crunchy fruit and tannins that provide length and persistence. Lovely texture with freshness as well. Harmonious. (JL)

The 2021 L'Évangile, aged in just 40% new oak from four cooperages and 15% amphora, is the first vintage to be made under certified organic. On the nose, it offers mainly red fruit, well-defined with black truffle and cigar smoke emerging with time. As I wrote during primeur, it exudes Pomerol DNA on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky-smooth entry, quite complex, with black pepper and clove percolating through the red fruit. This is not powerful, but there is a heap of personality and a sustained finish tinged with truffle and black pepper, a ferrous tincture lining the aftertaste. A superb wine in the context of a tricky growing season, it will be fascinating to watch evolve in bottle.

Rich in color, with little effort you find chocolate, black plums, truffle, coffee bean, mint and flowers in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, vibrant, and loaded with chewy red fruits, chalky tannins, freshness, spice and leafy herbs that add to the sweetness in the red pit fruits. The wine blends 69% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV. The harvest took place September 21 - October 4. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak, 15% amphora and used oak barrels. The Grand Vin was made from 55% of the harvest. Drink from 2025-2048. 93-95

Deep garnet with a purple tinge at the rim. Floral notes, blackcurrants, sour rather than black cherry, thyme, forest blueberry. The palate shows grippy tannins nicely integrated into a creamy textural extract, just a pinch of greenish components, vivid. Everything has a mineral underpinning, alcohol a little noticeable but in balance, elegant with a juicy, fine-nerved finish.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc (which is more Cabernet Franc than usual), the 2021 Château L'Evangile is a beautiful effort that I'd put up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Blue fruits, cassis, violets, tobacco, and subtle chocolaty oak all define the aromatics, and it has medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and just about flawless overall balance. Brought up mostly in barrel, with a splash in amphora, this beauty shines for its purity and elegance, and the higher Cabernet Franc component really shows with time in the glass.

Black color core, viscous. At first, l’Évangile is discreet and distinguished on the nose, with a balsamic top note and an impressively dark-fruited, chocolatey arrangement, deep and seductive. Super dense and concentrated on the palate with slightly rough tannins, perhaps stemming from the 15% amphora in its youth. Lots of juice on the palate, black fruit, chocolate, graphite and balsamic notes. A very classic, highly concentrated l’Évangile. Still a bit astringent for now, it will, in 10 years, delight with great finesse, strong terroir character, and excellent concentration and freshness. Then, hardly anyone will still believe that 2021 was once rated a weak vintage!

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (Organic, 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon) Silky, finely structured, fragrant, fresh bouquet; raspberries, blackcurrant jelly, delicate chocolate, cinnamon, herbs. Balanced, fine, fresh palate with sweet, delicate fruit, dense, elegant structure, varied, powerful, sweet aromatics, fine tannins, long, powerful, fragrant finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Has room to improve further.

(Organic, 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon) Silky, delicate, fragrant, fresh bouquet, raspberries, blackcurrant jelly, fine chocolate, cinnamon, herbs. Balanced, fine, fresh palate with sweet, delicate fruit, dense, elegant structure, complex, powerful, sweet aromatics, fine tannins, long, powerful, fragrant finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Can still improve. 18/20 2026 - 2045

Dark ruby colour, curling aromatics of gunsmoke and violet, a touch of rose petal with chalky tannins. This is full of savoury dark fruits with liquorice, cloves, smoked earth and black truffle, showing finesse and balance. Harvest September 21 to October 4. No chaptalisation. 50% new oak, 15% amphora, pH 3.6. Careful work during ageing with a reduced number of coopers (brought down to four from nine). This is their first organically certified vinified vintage, and the first year with Juliette Couderc as technical director from the beginning to the end of the growing season.

A blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, L’Evangile 2021 used less new oak this year, only 50%, with 15% of the wine aging in amphora. It has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and needs a little swirling to bring out notes of black cherries, juicy plums, and raspberry preserves, giving way to nuances of lavender, aniseed, and damp soil, with a touch of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate has a good intensity of vibrant black fruits, with rounded tannins and bags of freshness, finishing earthy.

We must acknowledge the great success of this 2021. The structural elegance of the vintage is highlighted by Julie Couderc’s distinguished, almost weightless approach, steering us away from the power of previous vintages. The conversion to organic farming in the same year and the more athletic mid-palate contour reveal a highly distinguished tannin and a welcome salinity. Its style is deep, joyful, and relaxed.

We find that sense of freshness again, a flirt with vegetal notes—yet ripe ones, the kind we enjoy! The fruit leans more toward black berries compared to Blason. The bouquet reveals hints of mint and licorice, complemented by notes of blueberry. On the palate, the wine stands out for its elegance, precision, and freshness. It is slender yet well-structured, supported by precise, vigorous tannins in line with the acid structure. It concludes with a mouthwatering finish of good length, and the wine has many fine years ahead (and so do we!).

The nose is fruity, fine and delicate, with a subtle elongated profile, lovely delicacy, a fine velvety feel, a refined, discreetly tight/racy grain, and depth. It reveals notes of vibrant blackcurrant, pulpy/bright plum and, more slightly, crushed raspberry, combined with delicate hints of graphite and Madagascar pepper, as well as fine touches of cornflower, a subtle hint of blond tobacco, a discreet touch of peony and cocoa. The palate is nicely fresh and fruity, offering juiciness, well-judged bitters, indulgence, fine definition, purity of fruit, and a certain brightness in its flesh. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry and cherry, and more slightly redcurrant, combined with delicate touches of cornflower and plum blossom, as well as fine hints of vanilla, fresh blond tobacco, subtle notes of star anise, sap and chocolate. The tannins are creamy and elegant. Lovely persistence. Good length.

Dark, beautiful, and intense color. The nose is slightly discreet, with pure, ripe fruit. Precise on the attack, flavorful on the mid-palate, with bright flavors and a melting texture; the wine caresses the palate, very pleasant, with a normal length where black-fruit flavors return. Blend: 69% merlot, 30% cabernet franc, 1% cabernet sauvignon. Alcohol: 14%. Note that this wine was neither chaptalized nor saignée. pH: 3.65. 8% press wine. Yield: 20 hl/ha.