Chateau L´If 2018

JAMES SUCKLING: "Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, licorice, dried lavender, nutmeg and grated milk chocolate. Pure raspberries, walnut husks and crushed peppercorns as well. It’s full-bodied with firm, racy tannins that go on for minutes. So sleek and polished with a long finish. Really amazing and perhaps the best wine ever from here. Same ownership as the legendary Le Pin from Pomerol. Slightly more cabernet franc (30% instead of 20%) in the blend may have made the difference. The rest is merlot. Clearly the best wine ever from here, since the official first vintage 2011. Try from 2026."

WEINWISSER: "74 % Merlot, 26 % Cabernet Franc, 7.000 Fl., 14,5 % vol., pH 3,55. Dichtes Granat mit violettem Rand. Sattes Kirschbouquet mit Rosenholz und roten Johannisbeeren. Im zweiten Ansatz Virginiatabak, helles Edelholz sowie Kaffee. Am Gaumen mit mehligem Extrakt und fülligem Körper mit perfekt stützendem Tanningerüst, sehr filigran und trotzdem zupackend. Im gebündelten Finale erhaben mit dunkler Mineralik und perfekter Balance, alles ist am richtigen Platz. "Jetzt ist er da wo er sein sollte," meint Jacques sichtlich stolz, "es hat 7 Jahre gedauert, jetzt sind auch junge Reben in der Assemblage enthalten," dieser L'If lebt von seiner beruhigenden Grösse und kann noch zulegen."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The attention seeking nose kicks off with an array of fresh picked flowers, leaves, spice, licorice, espresso, cherries, plums and blackberries. Rich, concentrated, full-bodied and fresh, the opulent, silky, graceful fruits offer layers of hedonistic thrills. The velvety, sensuously textured finish expresses purity, lift and length. With more Cabernet Franc in the blend, the wine requires more time to develop. It is highly likely that once this hits full maturity, in about a decade, this will earn an even higher score. The wine blends 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2018 L'If is blended of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc, to be aged 12-16 months in barriques, 50% new. The wine has a pH of 3.55 and 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it gives up a beautiful perfume of baked raspberries, mulberries and Black Forest cake with hints of fragrant soil, rose hip tea and dusty soil. Full-bodied, rich and jam-packed with generous red and black fruits framed by velvety tannins, it has wonderful savory chocolate and licorice accents and a long, spicy finish."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is a tightly focused wine, with racy damson plum and cassis notes leading off while floral, incense and black tea notes swirl around. Finish is driven and pure, with a seamlessly inlaid chalky minerality leaving a mouthwatering impression. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 625 cases made. — JM"