Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur | Château L’Évangile

"The 2020 L'Évangile is fabulous. Dazzles right out of the gate"

Antonio Galloni

"Challenging the Pomerol elite, a different L’Evangile. A new chapter opens"

Neal Martin

Part of the Pomerol Royal Circle, L'Évangile is a jewel in the Baron de Rothschild’s crown. Going from strength to strength, the latest 2020 “dazzles right out of the gate.” (AG).

The full conversion to biodynamic farming, completed in 2021, is reshaping the personality of this historic Pomerol. Saskia de Rothschild wanted to align Evangile to their Grand Vin de Lafite, and the result of her endeavour is simply breathtaking. The 2020 vintage clearly fulfilled her dreams – this new L'Évangile “is fabulous.. easily the most Lafite-like L'Évangile I have ever tasted” comments Galloni in his review.

Magnificent purity, chiselled aromatics, Cabernet Franc zing, finest Merlot fabric, this Évangile has it all - a clear contender for wine of the vintage in Pomerol. “A new chapter opens”, suggests Neal Martin, and a clear “don’t miss” from Galloni. Boasting some the highest scores to date, and collecting praises from all sides, this is an exceptional, totally anew wine which will surely outpace its peers. A legend in the making.

FINE WINE TEAM
WINE SOURCE

2020
CHATEAU L'EVANGILE

Pomerol

€ 1,295 per 6 Bottles IB
€ 1,301 per 3x150cl Magnums
€ 898 per 1x300cl Double Magnum
€ 1,773 per 1x600cl Imperial

Blend: 88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc

96-98+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 L'Evangile rolls effortlessly out of the glass with notions of mulberries, black raspberries and stewed red and black plums, plus suggestions of Indian spices, dusty soil and violets with a touch of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses compelling freshness and a fine-grained texture to support the muscular black and red fruits, finishing long and earthy. Drink 2026-2050

95-97 Points, Antonio Galloni
The 2020 L'Évangile is fabulous. Aromatic, deep and fleshy, with magnificent purity of fruit, L'Évangile dazzles right out of the gate. Bright Franc aromatics add striking lift as well as vibrancy that carries through to the long, delineated finish. There is an energy to the 2020 that is palpable. Harvest for the Merlot began on September 3, ahead of a heat wave that was forecast, and wrapped up on the 14th for the Merlot and the 21st for the Franc. That approach worked so well here. In the past, L'Évangile and Lafite-Rothschild were very different stylistically, but that seems to be changing now that Saskia de Rothschild is spending a great deal of her time in Pomerol with the new winemaking team. The estate, certified biodynamic as of 2021, has been pursuing a more refined approach for a few years, but 2020 is the first recent vintage where the personality of the year seems to have aligned especially well with the current thinking here. The 2020 L'Évangile is easily the most Lafite-like L'Évangile I have ever tasted. Don't miss it! Drink 2030-2050

94-96 Points, Neal Martin
The 2020 L’Evangile marks the opening of a chapter with a new winemaking team in place. Perhaps now it will begin challenging the Pomerol elite, which it ought to, given its terroir. The nose augurs a different L’Evangile, no question about that. Gone is the wall of new oak that occasionally shrouded the fruit and terroir expression; the oak is still there, but far more assimilated into the attractive brambly red berry fruit, black currant pastilles and light rose petal scents. The palate is smooth on the entry, so much so that it belies the depth of this wine. Complex and quite cerebral, delivering palpable salinity, particularly toward the finish. Veins of black truffle and white pepper come through with aeration over the course of an hour, and with revisits at three-hour intervals. I think there is a little work to do, but what this L’Evangile conveys is newfound personality and soul and a sense of Pomerol typicité. A new chapter opens. Drink 2026-2055

96-98 Points, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
Dark garnet in color, initially you notice all the truffle, flowers, dark cocoa and plums with a touch of licorice in the aromatics. On the palate the wine is rich, lush, velvety and full-bodied. There is a beautiful richness to the texture on the mid-palate and in the opulen finish with its wealth of chocolate, espresso, black plum and sweet Morello cherries. The endnote lingers, which is what you need, as this tastes and feels so good, you want more of it. If you can, give this a decade of age this will really be singing.