Le Dragon de Quintus 2020

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.  Le Dragon de Quintus is the Second Wine of the estate, offering enthusiasts of the grand vin a delightful, fresh, and friendly wine to enjoy. 

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.  Le Dragon de Quintus is inspired by the old watchtower, as dragons are intelligent guardians.  The team at Château Quintus considers the dragon to be a protector of the estate’s magical terroir. 
 
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 viticultural team over at Domaine Clarence Dillon tends to their estates like their own children, and this is no exception for the Second Wine of Château Quintus. The vines are tended to the exact same manner as the vines dedicated for the grand vin at Château Quintus. 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.  Le Dragon de 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. Le Dragon de Quintus  is a charming, inviting and beguiling expression of Saint-Émilion that is more accessible than its older sibling. For those waiting for the grand vin to come around, Le Dragon de Quintus is a worthy purchase.  With each passing vintage, both wines improve  Without a doubt, the trajectory of Château Quintus is an exciting one.
 

"Blended of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 le Dragon de Quintus leaps from the glass with bold blackberry preserves, stewed plums and wild blueberry scents plus suggestions of new leather, menthol and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruit preserves with a velvety frame and lovely spicy sparks on the finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (11/30/2018, Interim Issue), Ratings: 90, Drink: 2019-2029

"The 2016 Le Dragon de Quintus is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that was picked between 3 and 20 October. I found that aromatics tightly wound and a little unresponsive when I tasted it at Haut-Brion, though I managed to coax blackcurrant and bilberry scents, a touch of pressed flowers with time. I would like to see more vigor once in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin: blackberry mingling with white pepper and cloves, nicely balanced with commendable presence on the grainy finish. Hopefully the aromatics will wake up with time in barrel and perhaps 12-18 months in bottle." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Ratings: 89-91, Drink: 2020-2028

"Darker cherry and earthier notes emerge from the 2016 Le Dragon de Quintus, a medium-bodied, ripe, impressive second wine that has good sweetness of fruit as well as purity. It plays in the more elegant style of the vintage and is perfect for drinking over the coming decade." Jeb Dunnuck, Jebdunnuck.com, Rating: 90, Drink: 2019-2029

Le Dragon de Quintus is the second wine of Château Quintus, formerly known as Château Tertre Daugay, a Classified Growth of Saint-Émilion. The owners of Château Haut-Brion, one of the five venerable First Growths names, bought the property in 2011 and brought in its management team and practice to remake this wine. Here is your chance to sample its potential before forking over a larger sum for the main label (Château Quintus routinely sells for $125, and the price of Château Haut-Brion can approach $500).