2010 Quinault L'enclos Bordeaux Red

2010 Quinault L'enclos

92 WE

Featured Review

Very powerful spicy wine with rounded fruit despite the dense tannins. It has juicy acidity, finishing with a dark, dry aftertaste. Wine Enthusiast

Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Very powerful spicy wine with rounded fruit despite the dense tannins. It has juicy acidity, finishing with a dark, dry aftertaste.

Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

(Chateau Quinault L'Enclos Saint Emilion) (14.5% alcohol): Bright, medium red-ruby. Cool aromas of crushed bluberry, bitter chocolate, scorched earth and licorice. Suave, smooth and fine-grained, with harmonious acidity framing and lifting the flavors of pungent red berries, tobacco and wild resiny herbs. Finishes with broad tannins and intriguing hints of herbs and earth. This property is now under the same LVMH ownership as Cheval Blanc and it shows in the wine's silky texture and medicinal reserve. My sample was more complex and layered with extended aeration, without losing any of its verve.

Vinous Media | 91+ VM

Powerful and textured, velvety and packed with black fruits on the attack. This was the start of serious changes in Quinault, bought in 2008 by Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère, but this is still in the old school mould, and it's rather fascinating to be reminded of how different its personality was at the time. It is sexy and unabashed and gives clear chocolate and damson puree, ready for pleasure. Will make an impact when put on a table with friends but it is far away from how good it is today. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036.

Decanter | 91 DEC

This property have turned out a finesse-styled 2010 with loads of blueberry and raspberry fruit as well as hints of pomegranate, crushed rock and damp earth. A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is medium-bodied and stylish, not a blockbuster by any means, but a wine of finesse to drink over the next 10-12 years.

This old property was brought to life by Dr. Alain Raynaud and then sold to the owners of Cheval Blanc.

Robert Parker | 91 RP

Fresh and clean with fine tannins and a blueberry and orange peel character. Peaches too. Long and very pretty. One of the best Quinaults for a long time. 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet France and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon.

James Suckling | 91-92 JS

Very fresh, with a pure essence of raspberry and kirsch racing along, laced with an enticing red licorice note that drives through the finish. Rather direct, but well put together and nicely defined, with a finesse and minerality that many other St.-Emilions don't have. Drink now through 2020. — JM

Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Type of Wine	Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal	Bordeaux Blend
Country	France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.