Château Quinault L’Enclos 2012 – Double Magnum 3 L – Wooden case of 1

Château Quinault L’Enclos 2012 

The Estate

Château Quinault L’Enclos holds a special place in the Saint-Émilion wine landscape: its vines lie in the heart of Libourne, not far from the Dordogne. Surrounded by the town, the estate preserves the memory of an old winegrowing tradition on land that is now built up. Its recent history took a major turn in 2008, when it was acquired by the owners of Château Cheval Blanc. The vineyard covers around 19 hectares in the southern part of Libourne, some six kilometres from Cheval Blanc. The predominantly gravelly soils, with sandy and clay components, form the foundation of its identity. Merlot plays a predominant role, complemented by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This diversity of grape varieties makes it possible to seek a balance between richness of fruit, structure and freshness. From 2009, the Cheval Blanc teams undertook a thorough reorganisation of the vineyard and changed the farming practices. The estate thus became a place of work and experimentation complementary to Cheval Blanc, while keeping its own terroir and its own expression. Quinault L’Enclos was promoted to Grand Cru Classé in the 2012 Saint-Émilion classification. Vineyard management, vinification and ageing are closely monitored in order to convey the character of the grapes. Technical choices have evolved over the vintages, notably towards greater use of large-volume vessels for ageing, in pursuit of a clearer expression of the fruit and better-integrated tannins. Château Quinault L’Enclos shows deep yet delicate substance, fine tannins and a supple palate, carried by expressive fruit. Accessible in its youth while having ageing potential, it displays a particular elegance among the wines of Saint-Émilion.