L'Evangile 2019

Pencil lead and graphite reduction on the first nose, with turmeric and white pepper spice. This is delicious, less effortlessly exuberant than it was En Primeur, when the backbone was hidden by baby fat, and the oak is dominant right now. Inky in colour, as it opens you get gorgeous strokes of cocoa bean, damson and espresso, this is powerful and concentrated, but I get a flash of heat that hardens the tannins on the finish. Last year under Jean-Pascal Vazart, and the first to have Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1st wine (in 2018 it was in Blason, and made a particularly structured 2nd wine). 70% new oak (lowering from 2020 with the addition of amphoras and larger sized oak casks).

Tasted blind. First bottle TCA. Second bottle clean as a whistle and quite intense. Very sweet and with less obvious tannin than many. But lots of chocolatey appeal in the medium term. 15.5%Drink 2025– 2035

83.5% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barrel sample.Deep crimson. Round and plush with a generous depth of fruit. Certainly luscious in style, the berry fruit sweet and layered. A wealth of fine tannin sits in behind. Light glow on the finish but generally good balance. As good as 2018, possibly better? (JL)Drink 2027 – 2042

The 2019 L'Evangile is made from 83.5% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out with bold notes of baked plums, blackberry preserves, and star anise with hints of cinnamon toast, cumin seed, dusty soil, and lavender. Full-bodied, rich, and spicy, the palate delivers mouth-coating blackberry preserves flavors with tons of exotic spice and floral accents, framed by velvety tannins and soft acidity, finishing on a lingering licorice note. One of the more heady, opulent expressions of the vintage, it is a plush, fruity, voluptuous style that will appeal to those seeking acidity on the lower side.

I was quite critical of the 2019 L’Évangile when I tasted it as a barrel sample, and of course the winemaking team has changed since this was made. The 2019 has a very floral bouquet of ripe dark berry fruit infused with violet and peony notes. The 15.3° alcohol has slightly blurred the edges since bottling. The palate is medium-bodied and rounded, with fleshy, ripe tannins and no hard edges. And that’s the problem. This just lacks tension and feels static; there’s no "movement" in this Pomerol compared to, say, its neighbor Vieux-Château-Certan, which I tasted immediately before. The succeeding vintage is definitely superior. Drink 2025-2045.

The 2019 L'Évangile was picked from 13 September, expediting the picking of the young Merlot that was threatened by hydric stress, the Cabernet Franc picked 22-27 September. This is the first vintage to include a "pinch" of Cabernet Sauvignon from the newly planted plot, for now just 0.5% of the blend. Matured in 75% new oak instead of the usual 100%, it has a rich and opulent bouquet with mulberry and blueberry fruit. I am seeking just a little more delineation and nerve vis-à-vis its peers, more clarity and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with soft, rounded tannins that impart a seductive creamy texture, a leitmotif of this Pomerol cru and vintage. I would prefer more Cabernet influence towards the finish that would lend more dimension and personality. It is a sensual Pomerol but the oak still seems superfluous and detrimental to clarity on the finish.2025 - 2045

Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon.

The 2019 L'Evangile is composed of 83.5% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from the 13th of September to the 3rd of October. The alcohol comes in at 14.6%. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose hits the ground running with opulent scents of ripe black cherries, dried mulberries, baked plums and warm blueberries plus hints of candied violets, licorice, molten chocolate and wild sage with just a drop of hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully concentrated with seductive layers of exotic spice-laced black fruit preserves and a velvety texture, finishing long and with just enough freshness. Tantalizingly moreish!

From the very first moment your nose approaches the glass you know something special is happening. Seductive, rich, mouth-filling to the point that you really understand what that means. Just pops out of your mouth, with evident density of luscious blackberry and brambled raspberry fruit but also vertical climb through the palate. Violet notes marry with baked earth, grilled liquorice, tension and seduction. Highest level of Cabernet Franc in the blend in recent history, and first time that they have used all of the Cabernet Franc available in the vineyard - also first time to have this touch of Cabernet Sauvignon since the Rothschilds arrived at the property. Have I tasted a better l'Evangile? Certainly not at this stage, and one of the very few wines in 2019 that I can say without question approaches a perfect score. I don't give 100s at En Primeur but this is off the scale delicious, and I already can't wait to taste it in bottle. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050