Pomerol's wines have never undergone any sort of classification, but if they did, Château l'Evangile would surely be among the appellation's finest wines.
The property was created in the mid-18th century by the Léglise family from Libourne, who participated in the establishment of Pomerol's vineyards, alongside the families who owned Petrus (Arnaud), La Conseillante (Catherine Conseillant) and Trotanoy (Giraud). Previously known as Fazilleau, the property was renamed l'Evangile at the beginning of the 19th century, at the instigation of a lawyer named Isambert, who remained the owner until 1862. Purchased by Paul Chaperon, Château L'Evangile remained among his descendants, the Ducasse family, until 1990. Since then, the teams from Château Lafite Rothschild have gradually taken control of the property. The previous owners were already perfectly well aware of the exceptional potential of this remarkable terroir, which consists of a deep, heterogeneous subsoil of gravel mixed with clay and sand. Fortunately the formidable frosts of 1956 did not completely wipe out Château l'Evangile's vineyard. Louis Ducasse restored the battered property and revitalized the vineyard, managing to raise the wine to a very high standard within a few years. A standard that was successfully maintained, even after his death in 1982, when his wife took over with remarkable tenacity. Today, the new team harvests the grapes as late as possible, in order to obtain perfectly ripe grapes, with limited yields and ageing for 18 months in oak barrels that are 70% renewed each year. The ambition to raise l'Evangile to the appellation's front ranks seems to have been achieved: the wines have a superb richness, with a dark ruby colour and aromas of raspberries, blackberries, and sometimes liquorice; they also have an impressive capacity to age.
