L'If Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-Arrival

JD95

JS98

NM94

LPB97

VM96

RP94

$169.98

Pre-Arrival Product

SKU

B22103

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

98 Points! A curious wine that offers lots of fruit character on the nose, beginning with blackberries and flowers that move to integrated tannins, proceeding to a firmness and a well-framed palate. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2022 Château L'If comes from eight hectares of vines, mostly located on the upper plates near Troplong Mondot. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 50% new oak, its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a pure, incredibly elegant wine that has a core of black raspberry fruit as well as sappy flowers, chalky minerality, and hints of forest floor. Playing in the medium-bodied, silky, elegant end of the spectrum, it brings beautiful purity, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. The level of purity, finesse, and minerality here is something. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2022 L'If, a blend of 20% Cabernet Franc from fourth-leaf vines and 80% Merlot, was picked on 14 and 26 September at 35hL/ha. The limestone soils percolate through nicely on the nose with mineral-rich blackberry and bilberry fruit, quite estuarine (even if it doesn't border the Gironde!) The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit and blueberry notes. It's finely structured with a touch of licorice popping up on the finish, overtly spicy on the aftertaste. This is a very well-crafted Saint-Émilion from Jacques Thienpont and team - no wonder it is gaining a loyal following like Le Pin. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

97 Points! This is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it strolls confidently out of the glass with expressive black raspberry, fresh blackberry, and wild blueberry notes, plus nuances of sassafras, lilacs, and anise. The full-bodied palate delivers energetic black and red berry layers with approachable, fine-grained tannins and a lively line, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. So pretty! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

96 Points! The 2022 L’If is a powerhouse. An exotic mélange of blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, cloves and menthol saturates the palate, all backed up by huge, imposing tannins. This brooding, virile Saint-Émilion packs a huge punch. It will be interesting to see if this softens with élevage. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window : 2032-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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Details

In 2010, Jacques Thienpont acquires the Domaine de l'If, ideally located on the plateau of Saint-Émilion, facing the village and next to Château Troplong Mondot. The first decade of managing and restructuring the vineyard has come to an end, with four hectares now replanted out of the total eight hectares. The initial harvests from the new plantations show great promise, expressing the energy and minerality of their clay-limestone terroir.

2022 provided exceptional and extreme conditions. The winter was cold and moderately wet but enabled the water tables to be completely refilled. Spring started with two very early frost episodes which did not affect production. The rise in temperature at the end of April favoured a good start to the growing season. The flowering occurred at the end of May in dry and warm conditions which enabled the creation of thick skins, rich in tannins. The Summer was dry and extremely hot, starting with thunderstorms in June which provided just the right amount of water to support the drought of July. The vines love the heat and the dryness in the clay-limestone soils of the property! The harvest took place in September under perfect conditions, and we harvested rich, small berries full of energy. The L’If 2022 blend is a wonderful marriage of power and finesse, in a word: vibrant.

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