Château Quinault l'Enclos 2021

Spicy and red-fruited, herbal, fresh; soft palate, already approachable, lively, balanced, fine tannins, good length. A Quinault L'Engclos with great drinkability.

Shows rounded, inviting black cherry and plum compote notes, along with a light licorice root accent and prominent tobacco leaf elements. This version's fruit lightens up on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2026. 2,391 cases made, 330 cases imported.

Quite a dark nose, graphite and pencil-led. Slightly floral with fragrant blue and purple fruit. Supple and lively, this has a nice energy and focus to it. Crisp red fruit with bite. Lean and quite straight, lovely cool fresh blue fruits with liquorice, soft toasted spice and menthol elements at the end. Clean and well balanced with high acidity and lots of flavour together with an enjoyable mouth-filling texture.

This is very good for the vintage, with purple fruits, iodine, hazelnut husks and chocolate, showing precision and length with ultrafine tannins. Medium-bodied, it’s polished and focused, linear and tight. 59% merlot, 23% cabernet franc and 18% cabernet sauvignon. Better in two or three years.

The 2021 Quinault l'Enclos, of which 50% of the crop was lost due to mildew, has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, with hints of licorice emerging over time. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, very linear and saline in style. It’s a bit short and, you could argue, mean, though it keeps you coming back for more.

Dried flowers, licorice, cocoa and black cherries define the perfume. The palate, with its creamy profile, supple-textured fruits and plums, is sweet, vibrant and chocolatey on the finish. Yields were only 20 hectoliters per hectare, making the wine difficult to find as production was cut by almost half. The wine blends 59% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2024–2038.

Dark ruby core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Fine, cool dark fruit and black cherries with a touch of orange zest. Medium body, elegant and balanced dark fruits with hints of nougat, fine tannins, salty touches with freshness on the finish. Good with food.

A gorgeous wine in the vintage, the 2021 Château Quinault L'Enclos has loads of black raspberry and ripe currant fruits to go with complex notes of flowers, spice, and spring flowers. It's medium-bodied, has a pure, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. The quality here continues to blow me away, and readers need to get this château on their radar.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (59% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon) Fruity, velvety, fresh bouquet, raspberries, blueberries, mint, cedar, fine roasted notes. Creamy, finely structured, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, good tannins, a subtly muscular, rather slender structure, fresh aromatics, bitter finish.

(59% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon) Fruity, velvety, fresh bouquet, raspberry, blueberry, mint, cedar, fine roasted notes. Creamy, finely structured, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, good tannins, a subtly muscular yet rather slender structure, fresh aromatics, bitter finish. 17/20 2026 - 2042

This has really kept its style from En Primeur, with clarity and lift to the fruit, bright blueberry, graphite, savoury, raspberry leaf and fresh fruits, soft extractions, a little austere, as is classic in the vintage. 50% new oak (500l casks), and then the rest up to 5 years old so neutral oak impact. Low yields of 20hl/ha after frost and mildew. Organic certified since 2014.

The 2021 Quinault L’Enclos has a deep garnet-purple color. It rolls out of the glass with vivacious notes of redcurrants and cranberries, followed by hints of wild sage, graphite, and mossy tree bark. The light to medium-bodied palate has a lightly chewy texture and subtle fruit flavors, going a little thin in the middle and short on the finish.

Quinault l’Enclos was aged 50% in new oak and 50% in once‑used containers. 500‑ and 600‑liter barrels plus 20‑hl foudres. The wine is defined by its freshness, revealing chalky nuances and red berry notes. Sleek, it is supported by fine‑grained tannins that provide some breadth, while the acidity lends a saline touch. A fresh, digestible wine.

Deep colour, of normal intensity and vibrant. The nose is moderately intense, with very pure fruit. Fresh, vanilla notes. Aeration brings out spicy nuances, a hallmark of the estate’s aromatic profile. Precise on the attack, with a more elongated body than sometimes and a lively brightness of flavour, the wine quickly becomes very moreish and irresistible. The finish shows very well-integrated, beautifully coated tannins.

Despite the challenges of the season, the 2021 Quinault l'Enclos has turned out nicely, offering up aromas of sweet cherries, berries, lilac and spices, followed by a medium-bodied, ample and fleshy palate built around velvety tannins and concluding with a pure finish.