| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Chateau Quinault L'Enclos
Made when the proprietor was Dr. Alain Raynaud, this 2005 is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec from a vineyard that is a true clos within the town of Libourne. Moderately intense mulberry and blueberry fruit are present in a medium-bodied, delicate and finesse style of dark ruby/purple-colored wine that is fresh and not nearly as powerful and extracted as most 2005s tend to be. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Drink 2015-2023.
Aromas of blackberry, cherry and chocolate follow through to a medium - to full-body, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Lacks a little bit at the end. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
Medium ruby-red. Sexy aromas of cherry, minerals, iron and smoked meat. Juicy and sappy for the year, with lovely energy to the concentrated flavors of cherry, minerals, smoke, flowers and earth. Very sophisticated, shapely wine with a long, ripely tannic finish throwing off notes of smoke, minerals and iron.
Round and perhaps more elegant than the 2000 and 2004 vintages, with openly less ripe undertones and more freshness. The vinosity does not compete with the best. Drink from 2012.
A final blend of 70% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a rare 6% Malbec has resulted in a 2005 Quinault l’Enclos that rivals what this estate achieved in 2001, 2000, and 1998. This St.-Emilion’s upbringing is similar to that of a top red Burgundy, including a 7-day cold soak, fermentation in small tanks, malolactic in barrel, and aging sur-lie with the well-known oxoline system of rotating barrels on wheeled racks, which allows for a type of batonnage without having to open the bung and expose the wine to oxygen. Cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare, it exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with beautiful aromas of charcoal, spring flowers, blueberries, raspberries, cassis, and a subtle note of wood. The overall style is one of finesse, elegance, and minerality. Medium to full-bodied and impeccably pure with a beautiful texture as well as 14% natural alcohol, this 2005 will be at its apogee between 2012-2025.
Proprietor Alain Raynaud has produced a beautifully elegant, noble, racy 2005 Quinault l’Enclos that ranks alongside his 1998, 2000, and 2001. A blend of 77% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon (the average age of the vines is 50 years), it was cropped at 32 hectoliters per hectare, and receives the Burgundian treatment of malolactic in barrel, aging on its lees for 6-10 months, and no filtering at bottling. The inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005 reveals a pure nose of charcoal, spring flowers, sweet raspberries, black cherries, and cassis. The wine is gorgeously textured, medium-bodied, and elegant yet intensely flavored with a power and texture that build on the palate. The tannin is sweet, but noticeable, and the finish is long. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.
