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Quinault l'Enclos 2016

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon

This 28 hectare Saint Emilion property in the suburbs of Libourne has recently changed hands and is now under the same ownership as Cheval Blanc. Wine-making has changed too with a much more subtle style being produced. The vineyard is planted with 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Elevage is in double sized (450 litre) barrels which are 50% new, and 50% one year old. This gives the wine a less oaky taste than under the old regime and the wines produced here now are much more in the sophisticated, silky Cheval Blanc style. Much improved, yet modestly priced.

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Label

Tasting Notes

The 2016 Quinault L’Enclos continues the estate's policy of increasing the Cabernet Sauvignon (now at 20%). It has a refined bouquet with graphite and light cedar aromas emanating from that Cabernet, the oak taking a backseat since it is entirely aged in 500-liter barrels. The classically styled palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin and a fresh line of acidity. The precise yet not powerful finish prioritizes detail over length and grip. Enjoy over the next 12 to 15 years. Drink 2021-2035.

91
Neal Martin, vinous.com (Jan 2019), January 2019

A juicy and very elegant Quinault, showing hazelnut, dark-berry and cedar character. Medium body, with a lovely, fine-tannin texture and a delicious finish. Drink after 2022.

92
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2019

A blend of 68% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Quinault L’Enclos is deep garnet-purple in color. It flies out with flamboyant scents of baked black plums, blackberry pie, and blueberry compote, followed by suggestions of licorice, spice box, and menthol. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing and vibrant with fine-grained tannins and bright crunchy black fruits, finishing on a minty note.

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

A vintage forged in the extremes', they say poetically here. This has an unforced, fresh style, with fairly closed dark fruits but riven through with finesse. A touch short, but pleasurable drinking.
Drinking Window 2025-2040

90
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2017

Round and very fruity with some spice and cumin. Much better balanced than it used to be when aged in new oak and heavily extracted, though some sandpaper tannins on the end. Just a little bitter on the end.
Drink 2023-2035

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2017

This 28 hectare Saint Emilion property in the suburbs of Libourne has recently changed hands and is now under the same ownership as Cheval Blanc. Wine-making has changed too with a much more subtle style being produced. The vineyard is planted with 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Elevage is in double sized (450 litre) barrels which are 50% new, and 50% one year old. This gives the wine a less oaky taste than under the old regime and the wines produced here now are much more in the sophisticated, silky Cheval Blanc style. Much improved, yet modestly priced. Very pure, ripe red fruits, cherry and plum. There is a nice hint of white pepper too. The palate is fine in tannin structure, allowing sweet vanilla, a touch of christmas cacke and ripe red fruits to shine. This is smooth, round and ripe, and will be ready for drinking early in its life.

91+
Farr Vintners, April 2017

Another fresh, pretty wine from the team at Cheval Blanc, the 2016 Château Quinault l'Enclos has nuanced notes of black cherries, blackberries, leafy herbs, and saddle leather. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced and seamless on the palate, with terrific purity, it will benefit from just a handful of years in the cellar. Drink 2021-2036.

92
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, February 2019

The black fruits on the nose are slightly dominated by oak the start of the palate is sweet some rich fruit but there is an underlying freshness lighter at the back. The finish has depth ripe fruit with a hint of spicy oak. 2025-35

89/92
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2017

This LVMH-owned Château, run by the Cheval Blanc team, is in a rich vein of form right now. Grassy, floral and very elegant, its 2016 is a subtle, nuanced wine with polished tannins and palate-cleansing acidity. Every bit as good as the 2015 2025-32

94
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2017
Read more tasting notes...

This was the first vintage that technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet started to exclusively use 500-liter barrels for Quinault l'Enclos, decreasing the surface area to which the wines are exposed and, ultimately, the impact of the oak. The percentage of new oak is around 50%, and the blend is 68% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Quinault l'Enclos opens with expressive redcurrants, black raspberries and black cherries scents with savory suggestions of tapenade, dried herbs and tobacco plus a waft of cloves. Medium-bodied, the palate is fantastically bright and lively with loads of red fruit accents and a firm frame of grainy tannins, finishing on an earthy note.

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (Interim No), November 2018

The 2016 Quinault l'Enclos is a blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 68% Merlot, continuing the team's program of increasing the proportion of Cabernet, picked from 20 September and finishing on 7 October. It is matured in 50% new oak (500-liter barrels) and one-year-old barrels. It has a very pure bouquet with macerated black cherries, a touch of blueberry, a subtle flinty note just tucked underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry. This feels very fresh and lively in the mouth, perhaps a little more compact than others I tasted, although that is probably because it had been taken from barrel less than an hour before my visit. It is very precise on the brisk, punctual graphite-tinged finish, an almost clinical Quinault l'Enclos that will benefit from five or six year aging in bottle.
Drink Date 2023 - 2045

91/93
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (230), April 2017

A very fine bead of tannin runs through the entirety of this wine. Medium to full body, fresh acidity and a juicy finish. Polished. Straight and firm.

92/93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2017
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.