2016 Chateau L'Evangile Pomerol 750 ml

One sip of the 2016 Château L’Évangile Pomerol, and we knew it was an instant classic that would stand alongside the château’s legendary 1982, 1989, 2005, and 2009 vintages. A quick glance at James Suckling’s assessment shows that, for collectors looking for a perfection-pushing Right Bank benchmark, there’s no savvier choice for the cellar than the ‘16 L’Évangile.

This is a best-in-class bottling that will stand as a Right Bank benchmark for decades. In the 99-point review that put L’Évangile shoulder to shoulder with Cheval Blanc and Lafleur, James Suckling swooned over the aromatics wafting from an “ethereal,” “archetypal Pomerol nose,” and called the towering wine “so refined and structured.” 

This is the kind of power and grace that come together only once in a great while, and when they do it for less than a four-digit price—let alone under $300—we don’t hesitate. For the like-minded Wine Access members who have space in the cellar for a 99-point Pomerol that competes with the biggest names in Bordeaux, we have a miniscule 60-bottle allocation.

When discussing L’Évangile, it’s common for Petrus and Cheval Blanc to come up, and with 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 2016 vintage, Christian Moueix’s Petrus notched a perfect 100-point rating from James Suckling. That wine will cost you $3,000, a price that makes the 99-point, $1,000 Cheval Blanc look like a bargain. That is, until L’Évangile enters the ring, swaggering, boasting the same score for barely a quarter of the price. 

The history of L’Évangile dates back to the early part of the 18th century, and the estate passed through the hands of a few owners before being acquired, in 1990, by Domaines Barons de Rothschild. Rebuilding the cellars, maintaining rigorous, manual vineyard management, and planting new clones, L’Évangile President Jean-Guillaume Prats has steered the prestigious house to its greatest height yet, culminating in the nearly perfect, astonishingly priced 2016. 

Wine Advocate called the top 2016 Right Bank Merlots “heart-thumpingly beautiful.” It’s not an exaggeration. The 2016 L’Évangile is liquid inspiration, the kind of wine you fall in love with. It’s a Bordeaux for the ages and believe it or not, it’s a bargain. Straight from the cool cellars in Pomerol to your doorstep. Don’t miss this.