L'If St Emilion 2016

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.