From the very first moment your nose approaches the glass you know something special is happening. Seductive, rich, mouth-filling to the point that you really understand what that means. Just pops out of your mouth, with evident density of luscious blackberry and brambled raspberry fruit but also vertical climb through the palate. Violet notes marry with baked earth, grilled liquorice, tension and seduction. Highest level of Cabernet Franc in the blend in recent history, and first time that they have used all of the Cabernet Franc available in the vineyard - also first time to have this touch of Cabernet Sauvignon since the Rothschilds arrived at the property. Have I tasted a better l'Evangile? Certainly not at this stage, and one of the very few wines in 2019 that I can say without question approaches a perfect score. I don't give 100s at En Primeur but this is off the scale delicious, and I already can't wait to taste it in bottle. 98-100.
Tasted by Jane Anson (at Primeur week tastings in Bordeaux, 25 May 2020)
Part of Best Bordeaux 2019 wines: Top scoring wines

Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. May 2020

Reticent and tight at first. A touch of caramel and spice on the nose, but the fruit is coiled up. The palate is a wow moment… Rolls like a marble in the mouth, seamless but with structure – the most elegantly textured L’Evangile I can recall. Then boom, the palate rumbles like thunder, with waves of fruit and freshness starting small then building up to a crescendo. Deft, nimble, super elegant… it dances. A new benchmark for L’Evangile.

“Tantalizingly moreish” and James Suckling was equally effusive, with his description echoing our own feelings “long and structured… more balanced than in the past”. Lisa Perrotti-Brown

A rocking bouquet of blue fruits, dark chocolate, damp earth, and violet emerges from the 2019 Château L'Evangile, a slightly fresher yet still deep, concentrated expression of this château. Full-bodied, with beautiful tannins, a great mid-palate, and certainly no shortage of length on the finish, it has the silky, seamless style of the vintage, yet I'd still give bottles a solid 7-8 years in a cold cellar. It's a slightly changed style but still gorgeous

The 2019 L'Évangile is a rich, sumptuous wine. There is a good bit of immediacy to the 2019, but ultimately the wine feels overripe and disjointed. Black cherry, chocolate, leather and spice add to the wine's flamboyant personality, but the 2019 never seems to totally come together. June 2020

The 2019 L'Évangile was picked from 13 September, expediting the picking of the young Merlot that was threatened by hydric stress, the Cabernet Franc picked 22-27 September. This is the first vintage to include a "pinch" of Cabernet Sauvignon from the newly planted plot, for now just 0.5% of the blend. Matured in 75% new oak instead of the usual 100%, it has a rich and opulent bouquet with mulberry and blueberry fruit. I am seeking just a little more delineation and nerve vis-à-vis its peers, more clarity and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with soft, rounded tannins that impart a seductive creamy texture, a leitmotif of this Pomerol cru and vintage. I would prefer more Cabernet influence towards the finish that would lend more dimension and personality. It is a sensual Pomerol but the oak still seems superfluous and detrimental to clarity on the finish. June 2020

83.5% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barrel sample.
Deep crimson. Round and plush with a generous depth of fruit. Certainly luscious in style, the berry fruit sweet and layered. A wealth of fine tannin sits in behind. Light glow on the finish but generally good balance. As good as 2018, possibly better? Drink 2027 – 2042 James Lawther, June 2020