1995 Château l'Évangile

Light, muted nose. Opened out to something more gamey though with quite a bit of acidity (and tannins not that much in evidence – compared to the Ch Clinet tasted immediately before it). (JR)

Deep red-ruby. Deep, superripe, fully expressed aromas of black raspberry, chocolate, smoke and leather, plus a ripe vegetal nuance that contributes complexity. Velvety, lush and full in the mouth, but rather closed following the bottling; the wine sweetness is currently restrained. Conveys a sense of brooding power. The silky, fine tannins hit the palate very late. A superb vintage for this wine. (ST) 93+

Tasted three times, this wine is closed, backward, and marginally less impressive after bottling than it was from cask. It is still an outstanding L'Evangile that may prove to be longer-lived than the sumptuous 1990, but perhaps not as opulently-styled. It remains one of the year's's top efforts. The dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by aromas of minerals, black raspberries, earth, and spice. The bottled wine seems toned down (too much fining and filtration?), compared with the pre-bottling samples, which had multiple layers of flesh and flavor dimension. High tannin in the finish and plenty of sweet fruit on the palate suggest this wine will turn out to be extra special. Could it have been even better if the filters had been junked in favor of a natural bottling? I think so, yet that being said, the wine's ferocious tannin level cannot conceal its outstanding ripeness, purity, and depth. However, do not expect this Pomerol to be drinkable for another 5-8 years, which is longer than I initially expected. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020.