Winemaker and Vineyard : It is one of the mysteries of geology that brought to the surface a long strip of gravel on this plateau, southeast of Pomerol, the rare land on which the vineyard of Château L'Evangile rests. Its location is quite privileged: bordered to the north by the vines of Château Pétrus, it is separated from Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion, to the south, only by a secondary road. Covering 22 hectares, 43 plots evoke by their name their environment (House, Vat Room), their locality (Catusseau, Chantecaille, Jean Faure), or their configuration (The Point). This parcel system rests on three major terroir units. First, the pelisols, characterized by expanding clays in the high position of the plateau. Then soils with gravelly-clay texture to gravelly-sandy. Finally, in a lower position of the appellation, soils with a large sandy dominance. The varietal of the L'Evangile vineyard favors Merlot (79%), supplemented with Cabernet Franc (20%) and a bit of Cabernet-Sauvignon (1%). The plots are widely grassed. The estate also hosts beehives and significant biodiversity along its 2 km of hedges.

Tasting : The 2018 L'Evangile is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with explosive scents of boysenberries, stewed plums and baked blackberries with hints of lilacs, candied violets, Indian spices and garrigue, plus a touch of black truffles. Full-bodied, rich and powerful in the mouth, this blockbuster coats the palate with layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, framed by plush tannins and wonderful energy, finishing long and savory. Decadently approachable now, give it 4-5 years in bottle for maximum impact and drink it over the next 20+ years. - robertparker.com (03.31.2021)

Service : Serve at room temperature (60-64°F) to accompany a beef fillet with foie gras crust.