Description
The Château L’If 2014, the Saint Emilion estate that Jacques Thienpont and Fiona Morrison MW bought in 2010, is a blend of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc picked between 9 and 17 October, aged in 50% new oak and 50% one-year old. The nose offers up enticing licorice scents: detailed, vivacious and fresh with plenty of black fruit mixed with black olive. The palate is tightly wound with chalky tannin, that licorice note continuing through to the finish that is linear and crisp. This is an splendid Saint Emilion unapologetically elegant in style, one that as Jacques himself quipped, is the kind of bottle you finish. This is a very impressive Saint Emilion...in fact, comparing them side-by-side it might be just as good as Le Pin!
- Alcohol %: 14%
- Decant Time: 2 hours
- Taste: Licorice, Truffle, Smoke, Tobacco, Black fruits, Black olive, Chalky tannin
- Food Matching: Roasted lamb, Grilled steak, Mushroom risotto, Aged cheeses
- Grape Variety:
Merlot
: 91%,
Cabernet Franc
: 9%,
Tasting note
2014年的紫杉莊園來自聖艾美倫，是波爾多優雅風格的典範。這款以梅洛為主的葡萄酒，輔以少量赤霞珠，展現了甘草、松露和煙熏煙草的香氣，與成熟的黑色水果和黑橄欖的味道交織在一起。口感結構緊密，帶有粉質單寧，並將甘草的味道延續至清脆的收結。這款酒在新舊法國橡木桶中平衡陳釀，展現了不加掩飾的優雅風格。建議醒酒兩小時，以充分體驗其複雜性。搭配烤羊肉、烤牛排或豐盛的蘑菇燴飯最為完美，也非常適合與陳年乳酪一起享用。
The 2014 L'If from Saint-Emilion is a testament to the finesse and elegance that Bordeaux can offer. With a blend dominated by Merlot, complemented by a touch of Cabernet Franc, this wine exudes a bouquet of licorice, truffle, and a smoky tobacco character, intertwined with fully ripened black fruits and a hint of black olive. The palate is greeted with a tightly woven structure of chalky tannins, carrying the licorice notes through to a linear and crisp finish. This wine, aged in a balanced mix of new and one-year-old French oak barrels, presents an unapologetically elegant style. Decanting for two hours is recommended to fully appreciate its complexity. Perfectly paired with roasted lamb, grilled steak, or a hearty mushroom risotto, it also complements aged cheeses beautifully.
