Chateau L'Evangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, 1998

Overview of the Wine
The Léglise family, originally from Libourne, is at the origin of Château L’Évangile. In the middle of the 18th century, they actively participated in the creation of the Pomerol vineyard. L’Évangile appears on the 1741 land registers under the name of Fazilleau.

At the turn of the 19th century, the estate was already in a configuration similar to today’s, with an area of approximately 13 hectares when it was sold to a lawyer named Isambert. He “christened” the estate with the name L’Évangile.

In 1862, L’Évangile was bought by Paul Chaperon, whose heirs, the Ducasse family, remained owners until 1990. Paul Chaperon established the reputation of the estate and had the Second Empire style residence of L’Évangile built. From the second edition of Cocks Féret, in 1868, L’Évangile was listed and considered as a “Premier Cru du Haut-Pomerol”.

When Paul Chaperon died around 1900, his descendants kept the property until Louis Ducasse, who took over in 1957 a property that had been severely affected by the frosts of the previous year. He would strive – successfully – to restore the standing of L’Évangile. From 1982 onwards, his widow, Simone Ducasse, ensured the family’s continuity until 1990, when she chose Baron Eric de Rothschild as her successor.

Since 2020, Domaines Barons de Lafite Rothschild has entrusted the management of the estate to Juliette Couderc.

Winemaker
Juliette Couderc

Grape / Blend
72% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc

Origin
Pomerol, Bordeuax, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Deep garnet colour. The nose presents fruity, spicy notes mingled with oaky aromas. On the palate, the attack is powerful, silky and dense with fine, polished tannins. The finish is exceptionally long. This vintage remains a benchmark in Pomerol due to its precision and balance.

98 Points - James Suckling
So much black truffle in the aroma here with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full body, solid and stalwart. The layers of velvety tannins are impressive. I love the balance and energy to this. Underlines the greatness of 1998 for Pomerol and harks back to 1950. Just starting to be drinkable now. 

97 Points - Wine Spectator
Complex aromas of blackberry, fresh mushrooms, tobacco and wet earth. Full-bodied, soft and luxurious texture to this ripe and opulent wine. Long and decadent too. Just coming around now. Give it more time. *Highly Recommended, Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2001* (JS, Web-2009)

96 Points - Falstaff
Dark crimson garnet, soft ochre reflections, soft brightening on the rim. Herbal spice, ripe blackberry fruit, liquorice, soft balsamic nuances, orange zest and nougat, fine Brett notes, tobacco touch, very complex bouquet. Complex, juicy, fine oak notes, ripe plums and sweet cherries, a voluminous wine, firm tannins, lemony touch on the finish, pleasant freshness, has reached its drinking maturity, ripe cherries on the finish, a complex food wine with great ageing potential. Substantial, mineral and fresh. 

96 Points - Decanter
This has real depth of flavour and intensity that keep you gripped from start to finish. Near to its perfect drinking window. Amazing freshness at 20 years old; you can feel the flesh of the soft autumnal berry fruit given an edge by the curling cigar smoke. A true Right Bank vintage – and even more clearly a true Pomerol vintage. (JA)

95 Points - Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-brick colored and blended of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, the nose of the 1998 L'Evangile has the most intensely perfumed scents of potpourri, fallen leaves, Chinese five spice, camphor and new leather over a core of crème de cassis, prunes, star anise, dusty soil and tobacco with wafts of dried lavender and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, rich and decadent in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of spice and savory notions with a plush frame and refreshing lift on the finish. (LPB)

96 Points - Wine Independent
The 2015 Clinet is medium garnet colored. It offers fragrant scents of kirsch, redcurrant jelly, and juicy blackberries, plus hints of violets, licorice, and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers fantastic tension and energy, with plush tannins and bags of juicy black fruits, finishing very long and spritely.

96 Points - Vinous
The 2015 Clinet has a beautifully delineated bouquet, quite floral in style with rose petal and iris scents filtering through the red fruit. A second bottle is a little distant with more pronounced crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a fine bead of acidity, but those tannins tend to dominate the finish that feels a little mean. I think this is enduring a very dumb phase and should not be broached for a few years. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

Product size: 750ml