Chateau Quintus 2015

The 2015 is more St-Emilion in style than the 2016, and so some may prefer this vintage. This wine is sweet, round and gourmand, with tannins that are plentiful but fine. It has a caressing texture but also displays precision, as well as length on the finish. The yield was lower than in 2016, at 38.4 hl/ha. This marks a definite step up from previous years at the estate.

Incredibly dense nose of cocoa powder and savory notes. Hard to imagine how a red wine could be more delicious than this beauty, which glides effortlessly over your palate. In spite of all the richness, this is filigree, subtle and gentle. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

Better in the bottle than it was in barrel, which is the sign of all great wines, this is all about its purity of fruit, silky tannins and elegant character. There is not a hard edge to be found. The wine shows a beautiful purity of fruit, coupled with saline tannins and lift. This should drink well for at least the next 20 years or longer. Even though the wine is 15.2%, there is no touch of heat.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim, a bit restrained at first, hints of dark berries, some liquorice, blackberries, a fine spicy touch. Juicy, good fruit, elegant tannins, finesse and fresh, pleasantly sweet cherry fruit, mineral and good persistence.

The top cuvee is the 2015 Château Quintus, and it’s a sensationally concentrated, textured beauty loaded with character. Toasty oak, chocolate, blackcurrants, and licorice all emerge from this full-bodied Saint-Emilion, and it has a terrific mid-palate, fine tannins, and the balance and depth to age for two decades.

Dark garnet, fairly dense in the middle, ruby rim. Restrained bouquet, red cherries, currants, slightly woody, even dry on the attack. On the palate, it shows strict astringency with a sinewy, muscular tannin structure. A stern character with potential. I would have preferred more charm. It received significantly more points from other tasters. Pure potential rating. The expected enjoyment lies lower.

Dark garnet, fairly dense in the middle, ruby rim. Reserved bouquet, red cherries, currants, slightly woody, i.e., dry on the attack. On the palate, it shows firm astringency with a sinewy, muscular tannin structure. A stern fellow with potential. I would prefer more charm. Has received significantly more points from other tasters. Pure potential score. The expected drinking pleasure is at least one point lower.

(76% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc) Restrained, broad, fruity bouquet with black cherries, chocolate, mocha cream. Elegant, fruity, sweet palate with velvety fruit, fine tannins, generous structure, good aromatics, long, sweet finish. 17/20 2022 - 2035

This is delivering well at the 10-year mark, carrying the exuberance of the vintage but channeling it through a measured delivery of autumnal berry fruit laced with fennel, white tea, and smoked earth. A limestone fingerprint gives a juicy finish, and this is enjoyable, reflective of the intense work since the Domaines Clarence Dillon team took over, with intensive replanting in the vineyard to increase density and track terroir. Here you start to see what can be achieved at this property, and it tastes even better at the decade point.

Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2015 Quintus needs a little swirling to uncover evocative notes of baked black plums, juicy black cherries, and licorice, plus hints of tar, Chinese five spice, and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, the palate is opulent and plush, with velvety tannins supporting the generous fruit, leading to a burst of freshness on the finish.

2015 and 2016 will contend for a long time; in this vintage, the silky intensity is more immediate and the wine is, for now, more expressive.

The wine’s body has withstood more controlled élevage well, and the wine shows quite fresh despite the breadth of the vintage; the oak is well integrated. The new barrels, with a gentler toast, release the fruit.

This château, formed by the merger of Tertre-Daugay (2011) and l'Arrosée (2013), is owned by Haut-Brion, which has restructured the whole estate. The nose is superb and the wine is broad, supple, with fine substance and freshness. Quintus emerges from the tunnel with a fascinating style that is neither one nor the other, but a true creation in which the lovely Tertre Daugay hill still prevails. In particular, the Cabernet Francs are superb, offering lovely freshness. More than 2014, 2015 is Quintus’s benchmark vintage. The grand vin accounts for only 33% of total production. 76% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc.

Garnet red with violet highlights. An elegant, well-intense bouquet revealing spicy notes with a hint of cinnamon and clove, as well as refreshing red-berry notes with raspberries. A tasty, fruit-forward attack. Creamy, well-balanced character on the palate. The tannins are fine, well integrated, and in harmony with the structure. The latter supports the fruit and imparts a welcome touch of freshness. Fruity, mineral finish with a hint of chalk.

The nose is fairly intense, concentrated and fruity, with plenty of power. It reveals notes of black fruits with subtle hints of mocha, Zan, and discreet tobacco nuances. The palate is fruity, indulgent and elegant, offering lovely density, silkiness, a touch of fleshiness/body, and freshness. On the palate, this wine delivers notes of blackberry and plum, and, more delicately, small red berries (redcurrant, raspberry), with fine notes of licorice and subtle touches of mocha and toast. The tannins are fine and elegant. Good length and aromatic persistence on juicy fruit, with a small note of toasted/finely caramelized character.

Dark, intense color with slight evolution. Highly aromatic nose with pure, ripe, and complex fruit. Nuances of blackberry and hazelnut. Delicate on the attack, very perfumed mid-palate, silky and flavorful, gaining presence from mid-palate through the finish; the wine ends long, sapid and noble, with very well-wrapped tannins. Blend: 76% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc.