Château L'Évangile

An early and dry year, with incomplete water reserves in the soil from the start of the season. A significant frost episode hit during the night of April 4th to 5th, but human and technical efforts helped containing the damage. The spring was marked by a historical drought, limiting the vegetative growth of the plant. After flowering in mid-June, approximately 80 mm of rainfall allowed for good respiration in this dry vintage. In total, there were 21 days of heatwave during the spring and summer, marked by very dry weather and high temperatures, requiring adaptation. Despite everything, some vines showed incredible resilience. After tasting the first grapes, the decision was made to first harvest the west-facing berries to select the ripest grapes, followed by the east-facing ones for those with a fresher fruit profile. Deliberately, the Cabernet were harvested early to bring freshness to the final blend. Intra-plot selections were also crucial in choosing the grapes at their optimal maturity. In the cellar, cold pre-fermentation maceration captured fresh fruit, with shorter and gentler maceration times to avoid extracting the harshness of the tannins. The Merlot planted on deep gravel proved invaluable for this 2022 vintage.