2010 Château L'Evangile Pomerol 750 ml

The 2010 L’Évangile might be one of the best encores in Bordeaux’s storied history. Fresh off the heels of 2009’s legendary vintage, this incredible 2010 is a spectacular Bordeaux that holds its own against its famous neighbors Petrus and Cheval Blanc. One key difference: It won’t set you back quadruple digits. 

One sip of the 2010 Château L’Évangile Pomerol, and we knew it was an instant classic that would stand alongside the château’s legendary 1961, 1982, 2005, and 2009 vintages—tasting it last month, ten years after its harvest, this wine more than delivers on the promise of great Bordeaux. Merlot and the right touch of Cabernet Franc combine to form a dense, powerful red of exquisite texture and oak-kissed nuance. 

Invest in this majestic Pomerol today and enjoy it now for its impeccable power, or enjoy it over the next two or more decades. Just this fall, Decanter left Évangile a glowing review, noting “The depth and texture here are stunning,” and adding that the château is “really showing what it can do.” 

Power and grace only come together like this every once in a great while, and when they do for less than a four-digit price—let alone under $400—we don’t hesitate. For the like-minded Wine Access members who have space in the cellar for a top estate-aged Pomerol that competes with the biggest names in Bordeaux, we have a minuscule 60-bottle allocation.

This is a best-in-class bottling that will stand as a Right Bank benchmark for decades. 

The history of L’Évangile dates back to the early part of the 18th century, passing through the hands of a few owners up until 1990, when it was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild. Rebuilding the cellars, maintaining rigorous vineyard management, and planting new clones, the Rothschilds steered the prestigious house to new heights.

It’s common for Petrus and Cheval Blanc to come up when discussing Château L’Évangile, and for good reason. The former lies just to the north of the estate, while the latter is one dirt road away to the south. More hallowed terroir—sand and clay beds with a rare vein of pure gravel—can scarcely be found on the Right Bank. In the exceptional 2010 Bordeaux vintage, Château L’Évangile’s 54-acre vineyard, one of the oldest in Pomerol, absorbed every speck of nuance from its unique landscape, resulting in a wine of rarified suppleness and pinpoint finesse. Robert Parker himself called the 2010 “spectacular” and “massive, rich, and very impressive,” upon release.

After a full decade in the château cellars, we feel “spectacular” and “stunning” are accurate adjectives for this Right Bank stunner. This is a rare chance to pick up true Pomerol brilliance at a price that makes collecting possible.