+1 to the e13 cassette for gravel. I run the 12sp with a 40T on my racier bike and the 11sp with a 34T on my 2.2” tire drop bar MTB. Another big plus is that they are plug and play with Rival/Force long cage derailleurs (mechanical or AXS).
Drops for descending unless I’m racing cyclocross (hoods pretty much always for CX). Tops almost never. I went CX->Road->MTB->Gravel, but all in the same year so no real habits had been formed.