Quintus - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2018

Vinous

92

byAntonio Gallonithe3/31/2021

The 2018 Quintus is a powerful, heady wine. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice and new leather all race across the palate. Rich and exotic to the core, the 2018 is a big wine. Even so, its 15.5% alcohol is not especially evident. The 2018 is a good wine but not especially delineated.

Wine Advocate

94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/31/2021

A blend of 72.3% Merlot and 27.7% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Quintus is deep garnet-purple in color, bursting from the glass with rambunctious scents of stewed black plums, boysenberries, dried mulberries and Christmas pudding, plus suggestions of sandalwood, cinnamon stick, potpourri and oolong tea. Full-bodied, rich and voluptuously fruited in the mouth, it counters all that fruit with alluring exotic spice and floral accents, supported by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and fragrant. 94+

Jeb DUNNUCK

96

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/16/2021

The flagship 2018 Château Quintus is on another level, offering a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, cassis, spicy oak, chocolate, graphite, and camphor. It has plenty of background oak, yet the texture is brilliant, it's full-bodied, has no hard edges, and delivers just a wonderful sense of purity and elegance. It's the finest vintage to date for this estate. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95

byJeff Levethe3/16/2021

Flowers, spice, licorice and ripe, red fruits are all over the place. The wine somehow manages to balance elegance with high alcohol as this does perfectly. Sweet, long and intense, with a beautiful purity to all the red fruits, the finish lingers, expands and frankly, just feels great on your palate. The wine was made using 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, 15.2 ABV.

Vinous

92

byNeal Martinthe3/12/2021

The 2018 Quintus has gained more exuberance and intensity on the nose since its showing in barrel, offering flamboyant black fruit, blueberry, crushed violet petals and potpourri, all very well defined. A light menthol scent emerges with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp black fruit, tobacco and light cedar aromas. Like the Second Wine, this has emerged with a Left Bank–inspired personality, lightly spiced on the precise, quite minerally finish. Excellent.

Jamessuckling.com

97

byJames Sucklingthe2/9/2021

A wine with wonderful clarity of fruit and firm, creamy and polished tannins. So intense and powerful. Layers of fruit and tannins intertwined. Lovely blackberry, black cherry, cedar and sandalwood. Mushroom and bark undertones. One of the best from here. Try after 2027.

Wine Spectator

92

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

Plum, black cherry and cassis notes are seamlessly layered, while a bright mineral streak races underneath them. Finish pulls in subtle floral details while the fruit and minerality meld together. Nice length too. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2032. –JM

Yvesbeck.wine

89

byYves Beckthe1/26/2021

Belle intensité fruitée dans le bouquet du Dragon de Quintus (Qui se trouve dans le jardin du Château d'ailleurs). Nuances de griottes et de réglisse. En bouche le vin est friand, équilibré et agréablement fruité. On pourra déjà le savourer dans sa jeunesse.

Vinous

90-92

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Quintus was picked 20 September until 8 October. It offers ripe dark cherry and boysenberry fruit on the nose with light floral tones - no excess here with commendable delineation. The palate is rounded and honeyed in texture on the opening, a powerful Quintus with layers of toasty red berry fruit laced with bay leaf and sous-bois, quite luxurious towards the finish where it is difficult to detect the 15.2% alcohol. Give it five years in bottle.

Decanter.com

95

byJames Lawther MWthe11/6/2019

Barrel sample. This wine has a deep purple-black hue and it combines the elegance of 2016 and gourmandise of 2015. It's splendidly aromatic with blueberry, spice and violet notes; the fruit bright and distinct. Concentrated and intense on the palate, the tannins are finely woven, offering a texture that is velvety and smooth, alongside well integrated oak. There is great precision and length. Produced from a yield of 41.1hl/ha.
Drinking Window 2026 - 2045

Vinous

89-92

byAntonio Gallonithe5/3/2019

The 2018 Quintus is dark, powerful and super-concentrated, with a real sense of textural breadth and amplitude. Dark fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice add to a feeling of power and gravitas. The 2018 is an especially somber, brooding Quintus. The 15.2% alcohol is at the upper end for 2018 and is very much felt in the wine. Here, too, I am quite interested to see how things turn out after élevage.

Vinifera

94-96

byJacques Perrinthe5/1/2019

Esprit sanguin et intense, dans un style qui rappelle Quinault L'Enclos. Vin très distingué, fin et frais, salin, on devine un grand terroir, c'est très très bon.  

The Wine Cellar Insider

94-96

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

The flowers, spice box, crushed rock, licorice and sweet red fruits on the nose really work this year. Dark garnet in color, the wine is sensuality and elegance. More unctuous than usual, the velvet textured, black plums that coat your palate really hang in there. Even though the wine reached 15.2% alcohol, there is only a slight touch of heat in the finish but there is no sensation of jamminess. The wine was made using 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc harvested from September 20-October 8.

Wine Advocate

94-96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

Composed of 72.3% Merlot and 27.7% Cabernet Franc, harvested September 20 to October 8, the 2018 Quintus is deep purple-black in color and rolls sensuously out of the glass with very pure, perfumed notes of lilacs, lavender, plum preserves and chocolate-covered cherries giving way to notes of spice cake, cardamom, fenugreek and fragrant soil plus a touch of unsmoked cigars. The full, rich, seductive palate provides layer upon layer of perfumed black fruits and spicy nuances with a firm yet soft frame and oodles of freshness to lift the long finish. Beautifully done.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

This is very reserved with blueberry, cedar and shaved-chocolate character. Medium to full body and firm, lightly chewy tannins that are polished and pretty. Energetic finish at the end.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

93

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019

Yvesbeck.wine

89-90

byYves Beckthe4/1/2019

72% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc
Pourpre aux reflets violets. Le bouquet de Quintus est invitant et laisse apparaître des notes myrtilles et de groseilles. Belle intensité aromatique au palais avec une touche suave à l’attaque. Les tannins sont bien intégrés, soyeux et l’ensemble du palais est bien équilibré. Un vin qui a du caractère et que l’on pourra certainement déjà approcher dans sa jeunesse, mais son potentiel de garde est prometteur. 2023-2033

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe4/1/2019

This is very St-Emilion in its luxury and silkiness, with a beautiful texture and great persistency. It's a highly successful and seductive wine, and 2018 is the eighth vintage under the Haut-Brion banner. It has a beautiful nose showing extremely high quality fruit, combining precision and flesh in the notes of blackberry, dark chocolate, choux bun and liquorice, while touches of violets and peonies help lift the nose. Just a touch of heat through the finish. Harvested 20 September to 8 October. Just 4% press wine used, as it's a particularly tannic year for press wines. 3.62pH.
Drinking Window 2027 - 2042