EVANGILE 2005

(85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc; 92% new oak) Bright, saturated ruby-red. Pure, fresh aromas of black raspberry, bitter chocolate, licorice and mint; not yet complex but showed some enticing fruity high tones as it opened in the glass. Then full, sweet and spherical, with lovely harmonious acidity giving this a near-perfect balance. Conveys an impression of lush texture and superb inner-mouth energy. Wonderfully full wine with no one element sticking out: not overripe, not alcoholic, not oaky. Finishes with very broad tannins and lingering flavors of black raspberry, cocoa and vanilla. This wine has been in barrel since the end of October, but there's no bitterness from the new wood. "With bottle aging, the terroir will come," says Vazart.

The 2005 L’Evangile’s gorgeous aromatics consist of spring flowers, black raspberries, licorice, truffle and graphite. The wine is full-bodied, rich, still youthful and backward, with sweet tannin and a long, layered, full-bodied mouthfeel. This stunner is capable of another two to three decades of longevity. The greatest L’Evangile since the 1982 and before the heroic duo of 2009 and 2010?