Chateau L'Evangile 2023

James Suckling:

A fine line of tannins runs through this medium- to full-bodied wine. Chocolate, walnut and lead pencil on very fine tannins. Classy and focused, providing elegance with strength. Tight at the end. 78% merlot, 21% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. 96–97/100

Decanter:

Fragrant redcurrant and cranberry. Milk chocolate, vanilla, creamy, fruity and fresh with cherry and plum fruit. Cool and crisp, so much freshness straight away and so sleek, the weight is there in the density of the ripe fruit but this keeps a very slick frame. Lovely movement and energy, softly vibrant but also quite rich - a spectrum of cranberry and blackcurrant and plum fruit gives lots of different expressions with liquorice and tobacco on the finish. Chalky and stony, a lovely mineral grip too. Feels sophisticated, with balance, nothing sticks out, suave and elegant. I love it’s gentle expression though, doesn’t shout but this will be so great to drink and enjoy. I love it. Everything seems to be balanced delicately on a tightrope, with tenderness, density and tension. Really great and more finessed than some Pomerols. 3.8pH. Ageing 8% amphora, 50% new oak, 15% foudre, the rest used barrels. 42hl/ha yield. Green harvests were performed to drop 15-20% of the potential yield, given the team 'had never seen so many grapes on the vines'.