Quintus 2019

One of the firmest, most structured Quintus with lots of beautiful fruit and powerful tannins. It’s a very classically structured red with blackberry and blueberry character. Lavender and spice underneath. Extremely intense. 55% merlot and 45% cabernet.

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.

Quintus gets easier and easier to recommend every year, and this is full of plump, confident and well-balanced fruit, with rich layers of flavour that expand through the palate. Cassis and slate, and the Cabernet Franc plays a large part in adding tension through the mid palate. Harvest 19 September through to 27 September for Merlot, then break until October 7 to 9 for Cabernet Franc. Bottled April 2021.

Quite a rich nose. Heady and full with some soft floral aromatics. This is gorgeous, full of life, great freshness and energy but with a deep core of flavour - layered and complex, this gives the mouthwatering juicy acidity you want but also the lovely plush tannins and sensitivity of fruit - power and charm. Tannins are so well integrated supporting the fruit and giving structure with a cooling, liquorice mintiness on the finish. Great impact and presence. Could drink this now and savour the lifted fruit and cooling ending. 55.4% Merlot and 44.6% Cabernet Franc.

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!

The 2019 Quintus has developed into an elegant, sensual Saint-Émilion. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, menthol and leather build nicely, lending brooding intensity to this deceptively medium-bodied 2019. The blend of 55.4% Merlot, 44.6% Cabernet Franc is very nicely judged. I can't wait to see how this ages.

The 2019 Quintus, matured in 40% new oak, presents a fragrant, quite floral nose of black cherries, violet, incense and light orange pith scents; the oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fresh entry and blood-orange-infused black fruit. The Cabernet Franc imparts real spiciness toward a finish that lingers in the mouth. This will need a few years just to lose some of its youthful fieriness, but it should age well in bottle.