Today we are delighted to announce the release of the wines from the epic Lafite Rothschild stable. Chateau L’Evangile is one of the highlights of the Bordeaux 2020 campaign so far. The 2020 may well be one of the greatest L’Evangiles having received top scores from all critics. James Suckling awards the L’Evangile its highest score of 98-99 points while Jane Anson of Decanter scores the 2020 L’Evangile 98 points – a towering achievment that rivals Chateau Lafite itself. Anson notes, “The sculpting of L’Evangile that began over the past few vintages continues, and the 2020 is a gorgeous wine. Pristine fruit, silky with a whoosh of menthol. It elevates over the palate, both dense and light, with blueberry and raspberry fruits, and pulses of bitter almond and honeysuckle on the finish that gives focus and spice.”
Jeb Dunnuck awards L’Evangile 95-97+ points praising its “terrific sense of purity, present, ripe yet firm tannins, and a great finish”. Antonio Galloni calls it “fabulous” also awarding it 95-97 points and saying it “dazzles right out of the gate”.
There is no question that L’Evangile is one of the stars of the show this vintage, which has been particularly favourable to the right bank due to their abundance of clay soil and Merlot weighted planting. Priced at £1,110 IB per case of 6, this provides astonishing value compared to the other top drawer Pomerols and for those seeking to populate their cellars with the best wines of the 2020 vintage, L’Evangile will make a significant 2020 addition. It’s worth noting that L’Evangile borders the vines of Cheval Blanc which was released at £2,328 IB per six earlier in the campaign.
| L’Evangile | WA | JS | Release | Price |
| 2020 | 96-98+ | 98-99 | £2,220 | £2,220 |
| 2019 | 96-98 | 98 | £1,752 | £1,752 |
| 2018 | 97 | 95 | £2,250 | £2,200 |
| 2017 | 95 | 95 | £2,100 | £2,100 |
| 2016 | 97 | 99 | £2,125 | £2,120 |
| 2015 | 97+ | 100 | £1,560 | £1,900 |
| 2014 | 95 | 94 | £880 | £950 |
| 2013 | 88-89 | 90-91 | £530 | £960 |
| 2012 | 94 | 95 | £530 | £1,150 |
| 2011 | 88-90 | 91 | £750 | £1,100 |
| 2010 | 98+ | 96 | £1,800 | £1,900 |
| 2009 | 100 | 99 | £1,700 | £3,200 |
| 2008 | 94 | 93 | £640 | £1,000 |
| 2007 | 88 | n/a | £825 | £930 |
| 2006 | 93 | n/a | £995 | £1,360 |
| 2005 | 96 | 100 | £1,150 | £2,600 |
Owned by Lafite Rothschild, L’Evangile is surrounded by Pétrus, La Conseillante and its closest neighbour Cheval Blanc. L’Evangile only produces around 4,000 cases a year, less than a fifth of Lafite. It is a darling of the Barons de Rothschild stable, which they cherish as a triumph of the right bank. Just as they have secured the prime terroir within Pauillac, they have also succeeded in possessing some of the finest terroir in Pomerol. L’Evangile has undergone a massive qualitative transformation in recent years and an entirely new wine making team has been put in place with enormous success. We believe that L’Evangile will become just as sought after as the other major Pomerol Chateaux (Petrus, Le Pin and VCC) and its tiny production will make it enormously hard to come by. It is a Pomerol that is full of grace and beauty– a ‘Lafite of the right bank’. Its price will surely rise in years to come.
Chateau Duhart Milon has also released today at £342 IB per case of six or £684 per case of 12. 2020 is a landmark release for Duhart Milon, being the first vintage to incorporate their brand new state-of-the-art cellar.
James Suckling awards one of his greatest ever scores for Duhart Milon, an outstanding 95-96 points: “This is so refined with beautiful currant, berry and some subtle chocolate and coffee. It’s full and very subtle with fine tannins that have a long finish. Such purity and finesse with structure.” Jeb Dunnuck hails Duhart Milon as “another classic, concentrated, impressive wine from this team”, awarding it a stellar 94-96 points. Jane Anson scores it an impressive 95 points describing it as “Elegant, precise, feels very Pauillac in its density combined with fine tannins that have life and lift on the finish.”
This year’s release is quite possibly Duhart Milon’s greatest achievement yet. It epitomises everything that is great about the 2020 vintage: fresh, elegant, and profoundly well-structured. With a substantial amount of investment this year (notably in their new cellar), and demand sky-rocketing in Asia, Duhart Milon is on an unprecedented upwards trajectory. At just £57 per bottle IB, Duhart Milon has well and truly positioned itself as the ultimate value claret from the Lafite family.
Duhart-Milon Rothschild is a Fourth Growth in its own right and is found in Pauillac on the western boundary of Lafite Rothschild. Its vineyards are nestled on the Milon hillside, very close to the Carruades plateau and share similar terroir, combining gravel, sand and limestone: it is easy to understand the Rothschild’s eagerness to purchase its neighbouring Estate. As soon as they made the acquisition they painstakingly rebuilt the Estate investing heavily into it, clearing all unhealthy vines and replanting them, as such the vines today have an average age of 30 years.