Category: | Red Wines |
Sub-Category: | Red Wines |
Producer: | L'If |
Label Name: | St Emilion |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Country: | France |
Region: | Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux |
Volume: | 750ml |
ABV: | 14.5% |
Grape(s): | Merlot (100% in 2016). |
Acidity: | 3 |
Tannins: | 4 |
Sweetness: | 1 |
Body: | 4 |
Length: | 4 |
Aroma Intensity: | 4 |
Best Temperature: | 16-18°C |
Awards/Ratings
James Suckling 98; Vinous 96+; Wine Advocate/Neal Martin 94; Falstaff 93. Critics note 14 months in French oak (50% new) and excellent aging potential
Tasting Note
Concentrated black cherry and plum with cedar, mint, leather and spice; creamy texture, fresh minerality, firm ripe tannins and a long saline-tinged finish.
Food Pairing
Roast lamb, grilled ribeye, duck confit, game birds, aged hard cheeses; Asian: Peking duck, char siu, beef bulgogi, Szechuan beef, rich mushroom hotpot.
Production Method
Hand-harvested Merlot; fermented in vats and aged ~14 months in French oak (≈50% new).
Vineyard Info
Purchased by Jacques Thienpont in 2010; estate ~8 hectares on the St‑Émilion plateau, now managed by Cyrille Thienpont; stylistic sibling to Le Pin.