Chateau L'If
In 2010, Jacques Thienpont decided to look for a new wine-growing project beyond the borders of Pomerol. He soon came across Château Le Haut-Plantey, a small estate on the plateau of Saint-Émilion in the Mondot sector, which was up for sale. Jacques likes to name his wine estates after trees. He named his vineyard in Saint-Émilion “If”, which is the French name for yew.
The vineyard covers eight hectares. The vineyards are planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The soil consists partly of limestone and clay, partly of pure clay with layers of rock typical of the region. The grapes are matured in stainless steel barrels with appropriate temperature control. After maceration, the wine is transferred to oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. The wine matures for 12 to 16 months before being blended and bottled.
