Chateau L'Evangile 2024

Technical manager Juliette Couderc casually stated that “organic challenges us and asks questions”. She is a very relaxed person, and this is her laid-back way of saying that 2024 was a beast of a year, particularly for those committed to the organic cause! While the biggest problem was managing mildew, this vintage had an inherent tension and freshness, which meant that one of Evangile’s critical components for success was, thankfully, a given. They lost 60-70% of the old Merlot plots, but July and August were fabulous, thanks to a classic “Atlantic Summer,” meaning it was not too hot but dry. Evangile’s free-draining soils meant the vines were subjected to some decent hydric stress, and by harvest time, the fruit was fresh, clean, bright and restrained! Another conundrum immediately presented itself, as this harvest needed to come in quickly, so Juliette phoned her portfolio pal, Mathieu Crosnier, at Rieussec. He and his platoon of 35 expert vineyard workers joined the Pomerol team and made light work of the harvest, only this time they did the opposite of what they are required to do in Sauternes, which is to look for the ‘rot-affected grapes’! Fermentation was straightforward, and while they generally do not macerate for too long, as Merlot is rich, this year they undertook almost a month of maceration. The result is an amazing and stunningly voluminous wine. And like the other great wines in 2024, there is a stunning bitterness among the strict tannins that adds beautiful tension and drama to the whole. Layered, long and beautifully red-fruited, there is not a trace of black or purple here, just complete and utter trademark Evangile glory, and this is a rare wine in this vintage that is set to age extraordinarily well, too.

• Reviewer Name: Matthew Jukes

Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2024 Château L'Evangile is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc aging in 50% new oak, 25% foudre, 8% in amphora, and the rest in used barrels. It's a smoking effort with a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a stunning Pomerol bouquet of red and blue fruits, damp earth, smoky tobacco, and lead pencil. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it's beautifully balanced, has a layered, elegant mid-palate, and ripe, firm, yet polished tannins. It's one hell of an impressive 2024!

• Reviewer Name: Jeb Dunnuck

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2024 l’Evangile leaps with vibrant notes of kirsch and black raspberries with underlying suggestions of wild thyme, lavender, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate delivers refreshing red berry and savory flavors with a lively line and a pleasant chewiness to the tannins, finishing with a real skip in its step.

• Reviewer Name: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2024 L'Évangile was picked from September 18 to October 2. This has a "cool" bouquet with blackberry and bilberry scents and a little marine influence with a hint of oyster shell. The palate is medium-bodied with expressive Cabernet that imparts subtle graphite and tobacco notes. Again, this is fresh, quite structured, not long and perhaps a little tannic on the finish, but it will flesh out during its élevage in 50% new oak.

• Drinking Window: 2029 - 2045
• Reviewer Name: Neal Martin

Fragrant and dark, chocolate, vanilla, cherry, plum and liquorice scents with subtle floral notes too. Concentrated and sleek, this has a lovely texture and sense of completeness from the start. Tannins are very gently plump giving a round, almost filling expression with crystalline and pure black fruit and super fine, powdery almost mineral tannins. So well constructed, not shouting, but equally there’s nothing light about this wine. Sophisticated and really refined but still with power. They harnessed the natural power and leant into the vintage with delicacy and livelines. 3.65pH. A yield of 22hl/ha. No press wine. In organic.

• Reviewer Name: Georgina Hindle

The 2024 L'Evangile has turned out beautifully, reflecting this estate's recent evolution (refining barrel choices and integrating foudre into the cellar) and its comparatively young vineyard's propensity to perform well in years with minimal hydric stress. Offering up aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with notions of violets and black tea, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with a velvety attack, good depth at the core and a persistent finish. This blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon attained 13.5% alcohol.

• Reviewer Name: William Kelley

The 2024 L'Évangile offers good up-front intensity but then loses some of its depth on the mid-palate and finish. Black fruit, espresso, licorice, cloves and mocha confer an impression of gravitas. Élevage is 50% new oak, 25% foudre, 8% amphora and the rest in once-used barrels. Something about the oak profile does not feel optimal, as if the oak is mismatched to the wine. Élevage will be critical here, as the 2024 is quite forbidding at this stage. Even so, this is strong showing in a challenging year for a vineyard with relatively young vines that was largely replanted between 2002 and 2010.

• Drinking Window: 2032 - 2049
• Reviewer Name: Antonio Galloni