L'If St Emilion 2020

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
L'If
Label Name:
 
St Emilion
Vintage:
 
2020
Country:
 
France
Region:
 
Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux (Right Bank)
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
14.8%
Grape(s):
 
Merlot 84%, Cabernet Franc 16%
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
5
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
5
Length:
 
5
Aroma Intensity:
 
5
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Vinous 97, Jeb Dunnuck 96, The Wine Cellar Insider 97–99, Wine Advocate 93, Wine Spectator 93, Decanter 92

Tasting Note
Dense Saint-Émilion: black cherry, blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, graphite and tobacco with floral hints, chalky minerality, ripe sweet tannins and a long, spicy finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast lamb, braised short ribs, beef stew, duck confit, aged hard cheeses. Asian: Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ (bulgogi), Szechuan braised beef, Malaysian beef rendang.

Production Method
Hand-harvested; fermented in temperature-controlled vats; malolactic fermentation; aged ~14–18 months in French oak (≈50% new).

Vineyard Info
Purchased by Jacques Thienpont in 2010; c.8 hectares on the Saint-Émilion plateau, run by Cyrille Thienpont; Merlot-dominated vines near Troplong-Mondot.