2020 Quintus
Buying options
Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Vibrant and oaky black fruit. A bit spirity, perhaps. Dark, upright, firm but well structured and sufficient fruit and freshness to make a complete wine. Long, too, slightly acidic on the finish and the alcohol does show. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Quintus has a wonderfully harmonious bouquet with black fruit, briar, a touch of wild mint and beautifully integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It is perhaps modern in style, but even blind, this just oozes class and sophistication. Despite the high alcohol, this manages to pull it all off. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
The 2020 Quintus is one of the most successful renditions of this wine to date, offering up aromas of dark cherries, wild berries, sweet spices and licorice framed by nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, seamless and integrated, it's fleshy and layered, with powdery tannins, succulent acids and impressive overall balance despite its 15.4% alcohol. Indeed, while this is obviously a powerful, broad-shouldered Saint-Émilion, in terms of oak and extraction it's far from excessive. The blend is 62.5% Merlot with 37.5% Cabernet Franc.
Cask sample. Fine and fresh and lively. There’s a real line here. And a definite difference between this and Dragon. Cool and suave. (JR)
About the producer
Ch. Quintus is the flagship Saint-Emilion estate of Domaine Clarence Dillon (owners of Ch. Haut-Brion and Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion). Following the purchase of Ch. Tertre Daugay in 2011 and Ch. l’Arrosée in 2013, the two were merged to form Ch. Quintus. The first vintage of the wine was 2011.