Château Quinault L'Enclos 2006

Château Quinault l’Enclos is a property that has undergone a bit of a transformation since 2008.  Though the wines were perfectly respectable in the late ‘90s and highly ranked by critics, much of the changes stem from the transition of leadership at the property.  Earlier wines were crafted by the well-respected Alain Reynaud, who worked at legendary Left Bank properties such as Château Lascombes.  Once Alain Reynaud sold Château Quinault l’Enclos to the owners of Château Cheval Blanc, Bernard Arnault and Albert Frere, the style shifted.  The modern wines of Château Quinault l’Enclos are not the fruit-forward wines of the past.   Instead, they are distinctively fresh with a pulsing minerality and loads of complexity.  With pricing in the $30.00 range, these wines are a tremendous value for those who want an updated, lively wine that expresses what Saint-Émilion terroir has to offer.

Château Quinault l’Enclos is located in Saint-Émilion, near the city of Libourne.  Interestingly enough, the property was not considered to be within the Saint-Émilion appellation, rather within the satellite appellation of Sables Saint-Émilion.  In 1973 it was considered to be part of the Right Bank appellation, just a couple decades prior to it being purchased by Alain Reynaud.  Alain Reynaud made some sweeping changes to the vineyard, such changing mechanical harvesting to harvesting the property by hand.  The vintages of Château Quinault l’Enclos began to climb slowly up the ranks in terms of critical acclaim and scores.  Eventually, it attracted the attention of the second-to-none Right Bank producer Château Cheval Blanc.  Once the team of Château Cheval Blanc took over managing the estate in 2008, other changes were made such as removing the Malbec growing there.  The focus of the viticultural team at Château Cheval Blanc is to ensure the wine has a level of unparalleled purity and freshness.  Pierre Lurton, famous for running esteemed properties like Château d’Yquem in addition to Château Cheval Blanc, oversees much of the operations on the vineyard.   

Under Lurton’s leadership, the property switched over to Organic farming.  In 2012, they earned their certification for being completely 100% Organic in terms of their farming practices.  In 2014, Château Quinault l’Enclos also began to include Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend for the first time.  The property is planted in one single parcel, which is unusual considering the vineyard is approximately 20-hectares.  Château Quinault l’Enclos has a warmer microclimate than a lot of the Right Bank region, and in accordance with that they often harvest a bit earlier than other properties.  The reason they do this is to avoid producing a jammy, overripe sort of wine.  The grapes are vinified in wood vats, and the wine is aged in 50% new French oak barrels for up to 18 months. 

Château Quinault l’Enclos is best enjoyed within the first 10 to 12 years after it is bottled.  In its earlier years, the wine is pure, fresh, and light on oak.  Younger vintages should be decanted for an hour - give or take - in order for the wine to express its subtle aromatic qualities. 

"90 out of 100...The 2006 Quinault l'Enclos exhibits the elegant style that Raynaud has achieved in every vintage over the last decade. Sweet black raspberry and currant fruit along with hints of spring flowers and smoky oak are followed by a round, gentle, restrained wine revealing outstanding purity, medium body, and a fine finish. While it is not as prodigious as the 2005, it is a strong effort for the vintage. There are also 5,000 bottles of a kosher wine which Libourne's local rabbi produces and serves as administrator." - Wine Advocate, Ratings: 90