Chateau Quinault L'Enclos comes from the Saint-Emilion appellation in Bordeaux, seated in Libourne, near the Dordogne River - most notably, the Chateau was acquired in 2008 by Bernard Arnault, the CEO of French luxury group LVMH, and Baron Albert Frere. The two had been prolific in their wine escapades, having also together acquired famed fellow Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Cheval Blanc in 1998. Arnault himself also owns Chateau d'Yquem, inarguably the most prolific Sauternes producer. And while sheer ownership alone, however notable, might not be all that indicative of the quality of the wine produced, what is pretty indicative is the vineyard management.

Chateau Quinault L'Enclos.

Arnault has long applied a strategy called Pierre Lurton. That's a person, and not just any person, he is the manager of Ch. d'Yquem, Ch. Cheval Blanc, and since Arnault's acquisition of Ch. Quinault L'Enclos, also the manager of said vineyard - the idea here is pretty obvious: to raise Ch. Quinault L'Enclos to the very standards that make his other vineyard holdings world class. After all, Cheval Blanc carries the greatest number of exceptional vintages in the last century.

Quinault L'Enclos holds about 20 hectares of vineyards, characterised by sand and pebbles mixed with little clay, with vines at 45 years old on average. It harvests 71.5% Merlot, 14.5% Cabernet Franc, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, pretty much consistent with other Saint-Emilion estates. Since the acquisition in 2008, it's worked towards a more natural style of vineyard management. The wines are aged in 500L barrels, half of which are replaced each year.

Today (May 2024) we're going to try the 2018 vintage! Onward!

Chateau Quinault L’Enclos, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2018 - Review

Tasting Notes

Color: Dark Ruby

Aroma: Dense and earthy, with a bittersweetness of high cacao dark chocolate and blackcurrants, combining to give Black Forest gateau. Soft tobacco notes, morning forest walks, soft tannins. It’s dark and rich, very expressive too.

Taste: Incredibly rich and elegant, really silky and velvety lush, medium plus bodied - cooked plums, raisins, gentle and soft tannins with a moderate juiciness. Crushed blackcurrants, rather vibrant with a nice brightness to it, which works perfectly contrasted with a rich and fuller body.

Finish: Alittle more firmness of the tannins here, juiciness persists, as does the soft and lush sweetness of blackcurrant juice. Light bit of cloves too.

My Thoughts

Quite a stunning expression - it’s elegant, has a good juiciness and light tannins, rich and plush. What really stood out for me was where it moved into the finish with such an incredible silkiness and velvety texture, full in flavour but with a relatively lighter body giving it such an incredibly contrast. Nice complexity on the bouquet too, with a subtle and soft finish. Of course if it were any fuller and richer on the palate, this would be pretty damn incredible.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot