Château L'Évangile

Château L'Évangile is one of the oldest properties in Pomerol, with roots dating to 1687 and formal establishment by the Léglise family in 1741 under the name Domaine de Fazilleau. A lawyer named Isambert renamed the estate L'Évangile in the early 19th century. Paul Chaperon purchased it in 1862, and by 1900 it was regarded as the third-best wine in Pomerol, behind only Vieux Château Certan and Pétrus. The Ducasse family held ownership until 1990, when Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) acquired the property, initiating significant modernization and quality improvements.

• Originally called Domaine de Fazilleau when founded by the Léglise family in 1741
• Renamed L'Évangile by lawyer Isambert in the early 19th century
• Ranked third-best in Pomerol by 1900, after Vieux Château Certan and Pétrus
• Acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild in 1990, bringing substantial investment and modernization

Château L'Évangile sits on the southeastern Pomerol plateau in a temperate maritime climate, occupying 22 hectares at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. Its soils are a complex layering of sandy clay with pure gravel, iron-rich clay subsoil known as crasse de fer, and blue clay, shifting to gravel-clay and gravel-sand textures across the vineyard. This combination of surface and subsurface geology places it in direct geological continuity with its famous neighbors. The estate was expanded in 2012 when it acquired 13 hectares from Le Croix de Gay. Average vine age is approximately 30 to 35 years.

• Sandy clay and pure gravel topsoils over iron-rich clay subsoil (crasse de fer) and blue clay
• Located on the southeastern Pomerol plateau, separated from Château Cheval Blanc by a single road
• Vineyard density of 6,000 vines per hectare with average vine age of 30 to 35 years
• Expanded to 22 hectares in 2012 following acquisition of land from Le Croix de Gay

The vineyard is planted to approximately 79 to 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend typical of top Pomerol estates but with a meaningful proportion of Cabernet Franc lending structure and aromatic complexity. The Grand Vin is aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels, with some malolactic fermentation carried out in barrel. The estate produces approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of Grand Vin annually, alongside roughly 5,000 cases total including the second wine, Blason de L'Évangile. Certified 100% organic in 2021, L'Évangile also incorporates biodynamic practices and was the first estate in the Domaines Barons de Rothschild portfolio to adopt organic farming.

• Blend of 79-80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Grand Vin aged 18 months in 70% new French oak with partial barrel malolactic fermentation
• Certified 100% organic in 2021 with additional biodynamic practices
• Second wine Blason de L'Évangile produced alongside approximately 2,000-3,000 cases of Grand Vin

Pomerol has no official classification system, but Château L'Évangile has long been considered among the great growths of the appellation. It was historically described as a Premier Cru of Haut-Pomerol and by 1900 stood as the third-ranked estate in the region. Under Domaines Barons de Rothschild, quality has reached new heights; the 2009 vintage received perfect 100-point scores from major critics. The estate's position directly adjacent to Pétrus and across a narrow road from Cheval Blanc underscores its place among Bordeaux's elite addresses.

• No official classification in Pomerol, but historically described as a Premier Cru of Haut-Pomerol
• Ranked third in Pomerol by 1900, behind only Vieux Château Certan and Pétrus
• 2009 vintage received perfect 100-point scores
• Neighbors Pétrus to the north and Cheval Blanc to the south