Château L’Evangile A Natural Balancing Act in Pomerol
Since 1868, the Rothschild family has cared for some of the most celebrated properties in France's iconic Bordeaux region. The stories these incredible estates tell are unique, but united by the common threads of legendary terroir and sustainable farming of the land.
Acquired by the Rothschild family in 1990, Château L’Evangile is a shining reflection of its remarkable Right Bank terroir. As Saskia Rothschild — the sixth generation to chair Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite — puts it, “It is at the heart of this natural laboratory that the earth and the heavens bring new lessons for each vintage.”
The château proper sits on the famed Pomerol plateau in the heart of the vines — a house with a red door that is built with Bordeaux stone, where bees and horses, wine growers and farmers, all cross paths.
It is through a (lucky) accident of geology that the southeast plateau is dotted by a long line of surface gravel. Three vineyards, including Château L’Evangile’s, share this rare soil. The property is bordered to the north by Château Pétrus and is separated from Cheval Blanc in Saint-Emilion to the south by nothing more than a secondary road.
Château L’Evangile was the first of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite estates to use organic farming methods. The vineyard itself covers almost 22 hectares / 54 acres, made up of sandy clay soil with pure gravel, on a subsoil containing iron residues. Merlot contributes to the wine’s decadent fruit characters and its unmistakable suppleness; “bouchet,” the local name for cabernet franc, brings finesse, aromatics, and structure. Recently, a minute amount of late-ripening cabernet sauvignon was also introduced to add further structure. Production is limited and the harvests are carried out by hand, as are numerous other tasks in the vineyard throughout the year.
Saskia has her eyes fixed on a future that is as brilliant as the Rothschilds’ past … and for anyone who has the good fortune to meet her, it is obvious she is steering things in the right direction. Under her leadership, Château L’Evangile will continue to tell its unique story and produce bold but soft, powerful but well-rounded wines for future generations.
Terroir
Located along the famous Right Bank, the Pomerol appellation produces some of the finest wines from Bordeaux. Château L’Evangile sits on the region’s famed plateau. The vineyard consists of sandy clay soil with pure gravel, on a subsoil containing iron residues. Grapes for the Grand Vin are sourced from vines grown in heavy, green-clay soils covered by a bed of gravel, which are the secret behind the wine’s extraordinary power and depth. The grapes for Blason de L’Evangile hail from clay-sand and silty-sand slopes with a clay-based subsoil. These lighter soils allow for better root penetration and provide a more regular and less limiting water supply. The resulting wine is supple and elegant, lighter in style, and more fruit-driven than the Grand Vin, making it more accessible in its youth.
Viticulture
The Château L’Evangile vineyard covers almost 22 hectares / 54 acres. It’s planted mainly with merlot (79%), supplemented by cabernet franc (20%) and cabernet sauvignon (1%). Average vine age is 35 years and typical yields are around 32 hectoliters per hectare.
Château L’Evangile was the first of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite estates to use organic farming methods, which respect the environment and help preserve the precious landscape for future generations. Harvests, along with numerous other tasks in the vineyard throughout the year, are conducted by hand. The team strictly controls yields to ensure the vines produce concentrated, high-quality grapes.
Château L’Evangile Wines are Carefully Crafted & Beautifully Balanced
Château L’Evangile follows traditional Bordeaux winemaking techniques. Alcoholic fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled concrete vats, with gentle pumping-over to enhance extraction. After maceration, the Grand Vin is transferred to new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, followed by 18 months of aging. The barrels are made by the Tonnellierie des Domaines Barons de Rothschild in Pauillac. Blason de L’Evangile undergoes malolactic fermentation in a combination of French oak barrels and vats, followed by a 16-month maturation period.
