84% Melot, 16% Cabernet Franc
Das Chateau L'if
Chateau L'if, unweit von Chateau Troplong Mondot und La Mondotte gelegen, wurde 2010 von Jacques Thienpont, der im Besitz von Chateau Le Pin ist, erworben. Der ursprüngliche Kauf umfasste etwa 5 Hektar Rebfläche. Seitdem wurden weitere kleine Parzellen im Osten von St. Emilion dazugekauft. 2014 wurden Teile des Weinbergs neu gepflanzt, sodass die Ernte über Jahre hinweg noch sehr niedrig ausfallen wird. Die Bepflanzung besteht aus 70% Merlot und 30% Cabernet Franc. L'if ist ein stilvoller, sinnlich eleganter Saint Emilion, der ähnlich Le Pin kurzfristig zu einem der Top-Weine der Appellation aufsteigen wird. Vom Jahrgang 2016, ein 100 % Merlot, wurden nur 400 Kisten auf den Markt gebracht.
Bursting with aromas of sweet blackberries, cherries, licorice and spices, the 2020 L'If is medium to full-bodied, bright and youthfully structured, with a pretty core of fruit, chalky tannins and a mouthwatering finish. In recent years, this property has begun to find an identity of its own, the bulk of whose holdings lie next to Troplong-Mondot, a property the Thienpont family owned for a decade in the 20th century. Robert Parker
em>Flowers, black, red and blue fruits, licorice, chocolate and espresso notes pop with little effort in the nose. On the palate is where the wine truly sings with its multiple-layers of sensuous, opulent, rich, black and red fruits, silky tannins, citrus and dark cocoa nuances. The over 50 second finish, with its endnotes of sweet, dark red, pit fruits, savory herbs, salt and spiced chocolate gets you wanting to go back for more. Drink from 2025-2045. Jeff Leve
On the nose is nicely fresh, unobtrusively tight/pretty driven and offers some intensity (in finesse), finesse of grain. Notes of juicy/fresh blackberry, juicy/fresh blueberry and more lightly fleshy strawberry combined with hints of violet, bright black currant, zan and a discreet hint of violet, camphor, cuben pepper, spice and anise. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, minerality, freshness as well as a nice definition, a certain richness (in finesse), a fine contained side and an airy character. On the palate expressing notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, juicy/fresh blueberry and more lightly crushed black berry combined with hints of violet plum, violet/blueberry, graphite as well as fine hints of nutmeg, hazelnut, a discreet hint of toasted almond. Nice/fine bitterness on the finish/persistence. VertdeVin
