A soft and fruity wine, with orange peel and berries and plums. Full body, with super fine tannins and a fruity finish. Refined and very pretty. Structured in the end. Fresh. Succulent. A style away from the over extracted one a few years ago. Try after 2018. James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
James SucklingScore: 93/100
Porty, with fresh herb and almond on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fruity, chocolate and tobacco aftertaste. A new and more refined style for Quinault
Wine SpectatorScore: 89-92/100
The style here has changed completely since it was purchased from Dr. Alain Raynaud by the owners of Cheval Blanc. The 2009, a blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc from this enclosed vineyard situated within the town of Libourne, displays loads of blueberry and raspberry fruit along with crushed rock and a host of floral notes. Deliciously fruity, medium-bodied, and very elegant, with a nice succulence, this is not a big wine by any means, but it is very stylish, pure, velvety textured and precocious. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Feb 2012, www.robertparker.com
Robert ParkerScore: 90/100
Rich, spicy and gourmand. Even an exotic edge. Seduces with the texture of the fruit and tannins. Drink 2014-2022
DecanterScore: 16/20
Very ripe indeed. Super- ripe, borderline brett, but very smooth and engaging. Just a bit too plump and strongly liquorice for me, but a great achievement by the lights of oldfashioned, under- ripe St- Émilion so I may be being a bit curmudgeonly to object. Very dry finish. Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MWScore: 16/20
Tasted at a negociant. This has a rather ersatz nose with macerated red cherries, gingerbread and chocolate. Somehow reminds me of a South African Merlot. The palate is better with quite strict tannins and a decent amount of freshness, but lacking real personality. Tasted March 2010.
Neal MartinScore: 86-88/100
Bordeaux / France