2020 Chateau Quinault L'Enclos Saint Emilion Grand Cru

• "Beautiful Wine. Already Offers Pleasure" ∼95 JD
• "Extremely Pretty and Fine" ∼94 JS
• "A Gorgeous, Deeply Pitched Saint-Émilion" ∼93 VM
  
• Quality Is Exceptionally High. ∼98 Vintage VM
• Same Winemaking Team as Cheval Blanc
• Owned by LVMH Bernard Arnault
• Free Shipping on 12 or More Bottles

About the Wine

Château Quinault L’Enclos is where Right Bank charm meets Left Bank polish—crafted under the watchful eye of the same elite team behind Château Cheval Blanc. Once overlooked, this Saint-Émilion gem has quietly transformed into one of the region’s most compelling under-the-radar wines. The 2020 vintage proves it’s no longer just a rising star—it’s arrived.

Since being acquired by Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère in 2008, and with Pierre Lurton leading the charge, Quinault has embraced organic farming, gentler winemaking, and a focus on purity over power. The result? A wine with freshness, finesse, and serious pedigree—without the triple-digit price tag. The 2020 is especially exciting: part of the blend is aged in large oak foudres, giving it lift and elegance, while the old vines (some planted back in 1934!) provide richness and depth.

Located just outside Libourne, the vineyard benefits from a warm microclimate that allows for earlier harvests and a beautifully ripe expression of fruit—never jammy, always refined. For those who crave silky textures, dark cherry fruit, and a touch of Saint-Émilion spice, this is a wine to grab now and enjoy over the next 15+ years. Quietly brilliant. And wildly underrated.

Vinous Media awarded the 2020 vintage 98 points claiming: “Quality is exceptionally high among the great wines of Saint-Émilion”

Tasting Notes

Made from a blend that includes 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Quinault L’Enclos delivers a polished, layered expression of Saint-Émilion. Aromas of black cherry, rose petal, mint, and chocolate lead into a medium to full-bodied palate with silky tannins and vibrant energy. You’ll find notes of hazelnut, espresso, clove, and dark licorice woven through the fruit, finishing with a touch of refreshing mint and a fine mineral edge. Elegant, fresh, and quietly seductive.

Reviews

The 2020 Château Quinault L'Enclos, which saw two thirds of the blend brought up in foudre, is another beautiful, seamless wine from this estate that offers both richness and elegance. Black cherries, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and a touch of scorched earth all flow to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, finesse-driven Saint-Emilion that already offers pleasure. It will evolve for two decades. ∼95 Jeb Dunnuck

This is hyper fine and polished with currants, light chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Medium body. Fresh and very long. Extremely pretty and fine. Drinkable, but better in 2026. ∼94 James Suckling

The 2020 Quinault L'Enclos is a gorgeous, deeply pitched Saint-Émilion. Rose petal, mint, dried herbs and sweet red berry fruit all grace this wonderfully layered, nuanced Saint-Émilion. Pure and nuanced, with terrific energy, Quinault has a ton to offer. In 2020, the Cabernets (15% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc) are super-expressive. There is just a bit of youthful austerity that needs time to soften. ∼93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Black cherries, flowers, chocolate and espresso with a hint of blue fruit pop in the nose. Rich, lush, plush and polished, the wine is fresh, silky and packed with all the ripe, lush, chocolate-coated cherries with a sprig of refreshing mint that shows up at the end of the finish. Drink from 2023-2045. ∼93 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Black fruits, livey and quite vibrant yet with a seriously salty liquorice tang to the profile. Exotic spice lingers on the finish, surrounded by a minty freshness which gives a wide expression. Chalky, powdery, yet also quite bitter with dark chocolate and clove marking the finish. Yet there is a lovely overarching freshness, and lingering seduction and charm. Feels sophisticated but sombre, with lots of minerality and wood notes. ~92 Decanter

The 2020 Quinault l'Enclos offers up aromas of cherries, plums and crushed mint, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and lively palate built around powdery tannins that somewhat temper this site's proclivity for an overt, even obvious, expression of fruit. ~90 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

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