critic reviews
The 2020 L'If has a slightly more savory bouquet than the preceding 2020 Quintus, perhaps with a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc (16% in this blend). The complexity really comes through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and quite saline, with firm tannins and hints of oyster shells toward the long, refined finish. This fans out wonderfully. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
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.
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.