Chateau Quinault L'Enclos 2006, St Emilion GCC
Deep ruby with a medium rim. Dense and as if in a 'Garage' style, the discreet wood is finely toasted though. There are abundant sweet black raspberry and currant fruit along with hints of spring flowers and smoky oak are followed by a round, gentle, restrained wine revealing exceptional purity, medium body, and an elegant, earthy and spicy finish, after 12 years of gracefully ageing. When We tasted the wine ten years ago, it used to have an unusual structure of acid and tannin frame for a Right Bank Grand Cru Classe years back but has transformed to plenty of red and purple fruits robe that structure, and great spice and earth tones appear on the finish.
It is now a Cheval Blanc wine(since 2008), hence the 'status' seems higher by now. Also in 2012, the composition has changed to majority Cabernet Sauvignon. So, majority Merlot like this 2006 vintage is history and nostalgically treasured.
The 20 ha of Quinault L'Enclos at the Southwestern quadrant offers a warm and early microclimate that allows it to reach optimal maturity each year. The 2006 climate is uneven, so this warmer terroir comparable to the best of Pomerol offers lots of relief. The vineyard planted in 1 single parcel is unusual for a winery of that size in the Right Bank.
Manual harvesting respects a strict plot selection protocol, worthy of the very first classified growths. Vinification takes place in wood vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel. The wine ages an average of 50% new, French oak barrels for up to 18 months, hence there is always some power and complexities.
Dr Alain Raynaud, the winemaker, was in hong kong in the Peak Cafe Deco showing most of his wines in earlier 2000's. All His wines, for example, Quinault L'Enclos are forward, sweet, ripe, round and supple St. Emilion wine style, that drank well young and can age gracefully as well. Some very higher scores accorded.
