Château l'Évangile 2018

Jeb Dunnuck

Made in the more lively, elegant style that seems to be favored these days, the 2018 Château L'Evangile is based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Cabernet Franc playing a much more lead role than normal. Beautiful blue fruits, green tobacco, violets, white truffle, camphor, and damp earth notes all flow to a gorgeously layered, full-bodied Pomerol with sweet, silky tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. While I prefer the more opulent renditions of this cuvée, this is nevertheless a brilliant wine that has wonderful concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, and the class to evolve for 25-30 years in cold cellars.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 L'Evangile is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with explosive scents of boysenberries, stewed plums and baked blackberries with hints of lilacs, candied violets, Indian spices and garrigue, plus a touch of black truffles. Full-bodied, rich and powerful in the mouth, this blockbuster coats the palate with layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, framed by plush tannins and wonderful energy, finishing long and savory. Decadently approachable now, give it 4-5 years in bottle for maximum impact and drink it over the next 20+ years.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Clearly, the most concentrated vintage ever produced here. The wine is incredibly dense. You can tell just by looking at your glass. But the blackened color is only an introduction to the story, as the tale is told you'll find orange blossom, bitter chocolate, plum liqueur, flowers, truffle and black cherries. With concentration to match the intensity, volume to pair with length, purity and velvet tannins, the wine delivers even more complexity in the finish with a mix of stony, salty minerality and decadent plum. The finish builds and expands on your palate. If the wine softens and develops more silk on the palate, this could score much higher. The wine is made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, which is the same as the vineyard plantings. The harvest took place September 19 to October 2. The wine reached 14.5% alcohol and is aging in 75% new, French oak. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. The wine was made from incredibly low yields of only 20 hectoliters per hectare.

Falstaff

Dark ruby with an opaque core, purple reflections and bright narrow rim. Multi-faceted bouquet with black cherry, fine nougat, a hint of noble wood and sweetish spices. Powerful and complex on the palate, the 20 percent Cabernet Franc give a great structure with firm, ripe tannins, finesse and a fresh, chocolaty touch. This is a sturdy food companion with 14.5 percent alcohol by volume, dark nougat on the finish. Excellent ageing potential.

VertdeVin

The nose is racy, elegant, beautifully fruity, complex and offers deepness. This wine should be decanted. It reveals notes of bright blackberry, bright cassis, small notes of pulpy blueberry associated with touches of crushed strawberry, toasted as well as hints of camphor, violet, lilac, very discreet hints of spices, nutmeg, a subtle hint of fresh mild tobacco and an imperceptible hint of vanilla. The palate is fruity, precise, gourmand, well-balanced and offers a juicy/acidulous frame, freshness, minerality, a very beautiful definition/guideline as well as a beautiful fruit, purity, a fine grain, concentration and a controlled power. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fleshy blackberry, crushed cassis, small notes of fleshy blueberry associated with touches of cherry, raspberry, small notes of fleshy blueberry associated with touches of cherry, raspberry as well as hints of lilac/flowers, a discreet hint of pistil, mocha, toasted, fresh mild tobacco and a discreet hint of spices. Tannins are well-built and elegant. A persistence on notes of caramelization, vanilla, dark chocolate, pulpy/juicy fruits and offers a very fine chew.

Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch