| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This new property is owned by Jacques Thienpont (of Le Pin) and was formerly known as Haut Plantey before he purchased it in 2010. It consists of 8 hectares of which 5 are situated next to Troplong Mondot. A total of 5.2 hectares are currently in production. Plantings are 91% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. Winemaking by Nicolas Thienpont's son Cyrille. 7,000 bottle production.
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château l'If
This is one of the most structured L’Ifs I have had with currants and cherries, and chalk and salt undertones. Full and muscular. Long, long finish. The tannins and fruit go on and on. Give it three or four years to soften.
A blend of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc, L’If 2020 is deep garnet-purple in color. It skips out of the glass with vibrant notes of Morello cherries, juicy blackberries, and fresh plums, with touches of menthol, pencil shavings, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate vibrates with energetic black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing on a lingering chalky note.
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. 2025 - 2040
The 2020 L'If is precocious on the nose, with macerated black cherries, crushed violet, and blueberry emerging with time, all very well-defined and focused. The oak is nicely integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a little fleshier than its stablemate L'Hêtre. A pinch of white pepper towards the second half and an almost sedate, harmonious pastille-like finish. This should be afforded 4-5 years in bottle.
Austere on the opening beats, then a ton of enjoyable berry fruits. As it settles in, it delivers fine tannins with intense and sappy hawthorn, crushed stone and tobacco leaf character backing them up. Great balance, some austerity, and a tiptoeing through the palate that speaks of its clay-limestone soils. Fiona and Jacques Thienpont are the owners here, with winemaking from their nephew Cyrille Thienpont. 50% new oak. A yield of 34hl/ha.
Drinking Window 2025 - 2042
84% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Rich and ripe with damson and dark-fruit notes. Full and broad across the palate but backed and driven by very fine tannins. Texturally smooth, the chalky freshness and point of acidity on the finish pulling it all together. (JL) 14.6%
Drink 2026 – 2035
The 2020 L’If is the first to include the Cabernet Franc that Jacques Thienpont planted four years ago, representing 16% of the blend this year, the remainder is Merlot. It has a more open nose than the Le Pin tasted alongside, a mélange of red berry fruit, mint, iodine and a dab of liquorice. That Cabernet Franc lends a little pepperiness. The palate is very well balanced with seamlessly integrated new oak, plush and rounded. A more sensual wine than Le Pin this year, forward and generous with a ripe and very pure, mineral-driven finish. This will be difficult to resist, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. 2026 - 2045
This is all in finesse and focus with a compact palate of ultra fine tannins that are like the finest silk. It’s full-bodied and grows on the palate with a crescendo of focused fruit and fine, chewy tannins. The tannins grow and persist.
