Château Quintus 2019

Enthusiasts who love the winemaking style of Château Haut-Brion will fall in love with the Saint-Émilion estate, Château Quintus.  Though Château Quintus had its official start in 2011, the vineyards have a history that dates well before that time.  Since Domaine Clarence Dillon took over ownership of the estate, impressive changes both in the vineyards and in the vat room have taken place.  Critical acclaim has been trickling in, and the estate is steadily climbing up the ranks.  Château Quintus used to be named Château Tertre Daugay after an ancient watch tower located on the grounds.  The watchtower was there to function as a lookout point, informing villagers of Saint-Émilion of local threats.  The estate was briefly owned by the de Bouard family who owned Château Angélus and changed hands a couple of times until it was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon, who saw the potential of this 16 hectare Right Bank vineyard.
 
Château Quintus derives its name from the Latin word for, “five.”  Ancient Roman families would often name their fifth child Quintus.  The Romans were the first to plant vines in the Right Bank region of Saint-Émilion, and the team over at Domaine Clarence Dillon tends to their estates like their own children, so the name is a perfect fit.  The property was initially 15 hectares until in 2013 Domaine Clarence Dillon purchased several plots of vines from Château L’Arrosee.  Domaine Clarence Dillon spared no expense extensively renovating the vat room at Château Quintus, implementing the use of state-of-the-art technology.   Château Quintus is currently being overseen by the energetic Jean Philippe Delmas, who understands the enormous potential of this land. 
 
The special limestone and clay soil is a home to plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  There were initially Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted here, but Domaine Clarence Dillon removed them in favor of more Cabernet Franc.  The majority of the vines are 30 years old, except a few other parcels that are almost 100 years old.  The vineyard is tended to with great care by the same team that oversees Château Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.  After harvest, the wine is vinified in a mixture of stainless steel tanks and wooden vats.  The wine is then aged in a mixture of new and neutral French oak barrels.  Those who are familiar with the wine of Château Haut-Brion recognize the signature squat bottles that are reminiscent of old decanter bottles.  Château Quintus also has its own unique glass bottle that was inspired by an ancient bottle of Château Haut-Brion discovered in a pirate’s lair.  The bottle has a raised seal engraved on the glass which is an homage to the design found on the old bottle of Haut-Brion. 
 
Château Quintus is a silky, supple wine that benefits from about 8 to 10 years bottle ageing.  The wine needs decanting for about 1-2 hours to reveal its delicate nuances.  With each passing vintage, the wine improves.  Without a doubt, the trajectory of this promising estate is a very exciting one.

"The 2019 Château Quintus is brilliant and does everything right in the vintage. Loaded with ripe red and black cherry fruits as well as notes of white truffle, leafy herbs, baking spices, and tobacco, it hits the palate with a stunningly balanced, full-bodied profile delivering gorgeous tannins, the purity and freshness of the vintage, and a great finish. Coming from the Dillon team, this is Saint-Emilion brilliance that's already approachable yet will cruise for another 20-25 years. Bravo." - Jeb Dunnuck, (04/12/2022), Ratings: 96

"The 2019 Quintus was picked from 19 September is very intense on the nose with multi-layered blackberry and wild strawberry aromas tinged with vanilla. The aromatics are well delineated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with densely-packed black fruit laced with graphite and cedar, almost Left Bank in style with a very penetrating yet harmonious and silky smooth finish. This is a very well crafted Saint-Émilion without a hair out of place." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (06/16/2020), Ratings: 94-96

"The 2019 Quintus is a blend of 55.4% Merlot and 44.6% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 19th of September to the 9th of October. The estimated alcohol degree on the label is 15%. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass with intense scents of plum preserves, blueberry pie and boysenberries with nuances of Chinese five spice, mocha, dried lavender and licorice plus a waft of chargrill. Full-bodied, the decadently fruited palate is jam-packed with layers of blue and black fruit preserves, supported by beautifully plush, ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with an epically long, exotic spice-laced finish. Impactful!" - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, (07/20/2020), Ratings: 94-96