Chateau L´If 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "What strikes you about this wine is the center-palate and the purity of cool fruit notes, such as brambleberry and orange peel. Medium body. Whole and layered with ultra-fine tannins leading to a silky texture and persistent finish."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Quite floral in its nature, the wine is spicy, fresh, floral, and exuberant in the nose. On the palate, it is easy to see all the lift, and energy in the wine. The red berries have a vibrancy that gives energy, and length, paired with purity, and a refreshing, spicy endnote. This remains one of the new stars of St. Emilion and is a wine to follow before prices jump. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc, 14.1% ABV, pH 3.37. The harvest took place September 18-October 2. Drink from 2028-2050."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 L'If sashays out of the glass with flamboyant notes of kirsch, juicy plums, and mulberries followed by hints of rosebud tea, underbrush, dark chocolate, and aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate is coated with red and black berry flavors, framed by firm fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and fragrant. This is beautiful! The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 L'If, crafted by Cyrille Thiepont and originating from vines owned by Jacques Thienpont, unveils a dark bouquet of licorice, dark wild berries, pencil lead, coniferous forest, spices and oak. Medium to full-bodied, creamy and unctuous, it’s rich and concentrated with a fleshy core of fruit framed by powdery tannins, culminating in a long, mineral, chalky finish. This is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc."

WEINWISSER: "80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc, 14.1 Vol.-%. Delikates rotbeeriges Bouquet, Sandelholz, zarte Graphitnoten, Johannisbeernektar. Am geradlinigen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanningerüst und geradlinigem Körper, sehr präzise. Im konzentrierten, langanhaltenden Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen, dunkle Mineralik, nobel und lang, schwarze Oliven und edle Graphitnoten im Finale."

FALSTAFF: "Kräftiges Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Frische rote Kirschen, ein Hauch von Preiselbeeren, mineralisch, Limettenzesten sind unterlegt, ein Hauch von Tabak. Schlank, rotbeerig, zarte nach Ribisel, finessenreich strukturiert, salzig-mineralisch, ein leichtfüßiger Speisenbegleiter, animierender, delikater Stil."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Coming from vines near Troplong Mondot and based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 L'If will spend 12-16 months in 50% new French oak, and it's the first vintage made in the new cellar. Ripe black cherry and juicy blackberry fruit as well as ample floral and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a lively, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, and outstanding length. It's another terrific wine from the talented Cyril Thienpont. The 2023 hit 14.1% alcohol with a pH of 3.37."