The 2011 Blason de l'Evangile, a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, continues to offer an elegant, medium-bodied profile with notes of raspberries, licorice, and earthy undertones. This year, its deep ruby color has softened further, with silky tannins and a fruit-forward, smooth finish. While it's past its peak for aging, the wine still holds up well, offering a delightful, mature expression that showcases its fruity depth. Best enjoyed now for its accessible charm.

Wine Enthusiast | WE 90
Published: Mar 31, 2014

This is a delightfully perfumed wine, the second wine of Château L'Evangile. Smooth with ripe Merlot flavors, it's full and dense, conveying the sense that it will mature quickly. Drink from 2016. — Roger Voss

Wine Spectator | WS 88
Published: Mar 31, 2014

This delivers a well-built, direct beam of dark raspberry and blackberry fruit, lined with charcoal and tobacco notes and finishing with a hint of anise. Drink now through 2019.

The Wine Advocate | RP 85-86
Published: Apr 26, 2012
Drink: 2012-2018

An early harvest at l'Evangile (between September 13-21) resulted in a second wine, the 2011 Blason de l'Evangile, which represents 27% of the crop. Composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, it is an elegant, dark ruby-hued, medium-weight wine offering notes of raspberries, licorice, herbs and earth. Anticipated maturity: now-2018.
By the way, this 55-acre estate is now slightly larger than when the Rothschilds first acquired it as they have purchased 15 acres from La Croix de Gay.

Vivino | Vivino 4.3

Deep, clear colour with hints of violet. Fruity nose of red berries (raspberries and redcurrants) with notes of toast. On the palate, the attack is clean with a well-enveloped, balanced tannic structure. The texture is very velvety thanks to the ripe, well-coated tannins. The finish is fruity but it is the quality of the tannins that dominates.

lafite.com

The name of the second wine of l’Evangile comes from the fact that the batches that could not go into the Grand Vin were sold under the former owners who used their family emblem. Blason de L’Evangile is selected from vats of the "Grand Vin" Château l'Evangile. It features characteristics similar to those of the "Grand Vin", but with lesser potential for ageing as its ageing in barrels is much shorter. It must be drunk younger than its more robust counterpart.

The vintage
2011 was characterized by a very dry winter and start to the spring. Barely 150 mm of rain during the first five months of the year: a record! High temperatures in April, May and June caused the vines to grow very quickly, resulting in the first flowers appearing exceptionally early, in early May!
A cooler July gave the vines a chance to rest a little before an exceptionally hot August (with an average temperature of 31°C for the month). The grapes were harvested two weeks earlier than usual, and were of excellent quality with superb tannins.
The Merlot was rich and dense, but the low rainfall during the summer seriously reduced yields. The Cabernet grapes were small, with thick skins, but of very good quality.

Winemaking
Length of ageing in oak barrels: 15 months in two year old barrels.

Grapes
85 % Merlot
15 % Cabernet franc

Tasting
Deep colour with hints of violet. Fresh, fruity nose (raspberry, Morello cherry, blackcurrants) with notes of mocha. Fine attack with fruity notes and silky tannins. The palate is long, and very fruity thanks to the well-ripened tannins.