2017 Ch Quinault L'Enclos, St-Émilion, 1er Cru Grand Classé

Made from blending 68% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc, the wine is now aged in 500 liter barrels of which 50% is new French oak.

This is tight and firm with a linear precision and dark fruit. Medium to full body. Bright and lightly juicy. Pretty center palate. A poised and focused young wine.

92-93 points - James Suckling

The 2017 Quinault l’Enclos has a slightly warmer microclimate than Cheval Blanc so it was not affected by frost at all. It is managed exactly like Cheval Blanc even though the terroir is different. It is the first vintage to be vinified in the new cellar equipped with 22 different sized vats and in recent years, more and more Cabernet Sauvignon has been planted due to its gravel soils. This is matured in 50% new oak and 50% used, including one 20-hectolitre foudre. It has a curiously Fronsac-like bouquet with broody dark berry fruit laced with warm gravel, becoming more Left Bank in style as it opens up. The palate is medium-bodied with lace-like tannin, very linear and conservative in style, quite saline in the mouth with a brisk, dried herb, perhaps even fennel-tinged finish. Give this three, maybe four years in bottle as I would like to see it develop a little more grace and personality. 

89-91 points - Neal Martin, vinous.com,

The 2017 Quinault L'Enclos comes across as rather light in this vintage, with only modest depth and complexity. Bright red stone fruit and floral notes are nicely lifted. It will be interesting to see if the 2017 fleshes out a bit during aging. Today, it is a slightly compact and vegetal. The blend is 64% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc

87-89 points - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com,

There was no frost at all in Quinault l’Enclos, as it is right in Libourne and a bit warmer. The 2017 Quinault l'Enclos is blended of 64% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak and 50% one-year-old oak—only 500-liter barrels and foudres. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gives expressive notes of warm plums, blackberry pie and black forest cake with touches of Chinese five spice and dusty soil. The palate is medium-bodied, firm and grainy with a good amount of earthy fruit and a savory finish

89-91 points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate