Château l'Evangile
The vintage
The warm spring was followed by very nice weather in July and quite a cool August. These conditions gave way to ripe grapes with a lot of freshness. At the beginning of September the sun came back in full strength offering a perfect finish to the phenolic maturity.
Location
The Pomerol appellation stretches on a plateau on the right bank of the Dordogne river, about 40km north east of Bordeaux. In Pomerol, merlot is king. The characteristics of Pomerol’s clay soil give to this varietal an expression like nowhere else in the world.
Terroir
L’Evangile’s vineyard covers 22 hectares at the heart of the Pomerol plateau, sharing the appellation’s best terroirs with two other prestigious properties. Here, through a mystery of geology, the heavy green clay soils are covered by a bed of gravel. These high quality soils are the source of the estate’s great merlot, and the secret of Chateau l’Evangile’s extraordinary power and depth.
Winemaking
Alcoholic fermentation took place in temperature-controlled concrete vats and lasted for about 10 days. Pumping over and maceration times were adjusted for each vat, according to the terroir and the maturity of the tannins. Total maceration times were of 27 days on average for the merlot and 28 days for the cabernet franc. After maceration, the wine was transferred in new oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation, followed by 16 months of ageing. The barrels are made by the Tonnellerie des Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in Pauillac.
Tasting
A dense colour and a nose with notes of raspberry and fresh blackcurrant. Spicy, roasted and truffle aromas follow on the attack. Despite a powerful first impression, the elegant tannins bring plenty of finesse and the finish is silky and unctuous.
Alcohol content
14
Grapes
Merlot
: 86 %
Cabernet franc
: 14 %