Château Quintus 2017

It has temperament, pedigree, juiciness and freshness, powerful yet not excessively fiery.

Very attractive nose of summer flowers and ripe redcurrants. Medium-bodied, but with impressive concentration and plenty of fine tannins, this is a lively and elegant 2017. Long, moderately dry, savory finish with good complexity. Drinkable now, but best from 2024. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

The 2017 Quintus has much more complexity than Le Dragon on the nose, a mélange of black and red fruit, cold steel and sous-bois scents bubbling up with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin that lend this Quintus a fleshy texture. Spicier than previous vintages thanks to the contribution of the Cabernet Franc, it offers black pepper and bay leaf notes towards what feels like a substantial finish given the growing season. Very fine.

Spicy rubicund fruits with a dash of mint, licorice and black cherry open the perfume. The wine is dignified and energetic. There is a wholesomeness of fruit, a sweet cherry spirit and an emphasis on the finesse-styled character.

The grand vin from this estate is the 2017 Chateau Quintus, which is 54.4% Merlot and 45.6% Cabernet Franc. It has lots of chocolatey red and black fruit as well as complex tobacco, dried soil, and spicy nuances. It packs more fruit and richness than either the Saint-Emilion or Dragon De Quintus cuvees, has ripe tannins, good concentration, and outstanding length. This is a classic 2017 that's going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and drink beautifully for over a decade.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Quintus is a little reticent to begin, revealing delicate notes of kirsch, dried mulberries, and black raspberries before launching into a core of baked plums and licorice, plus a hint of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly styled and refreshing, with bags of bright red and black fruits and fine-grained tannins, finishing with a skip in its step.

54.4% merlot and 45.6% cabernet franc make up the blend. The backbone provided by the latter structures the wine perfectly. The tension of the tannin is wrapped with elegance and precision. It needs time; the aromatics are subdued and this 2017 is closing down.

Marked by a Cabernet Franc style—fresh, slightly mineral, with a hint of spice—the wine retains lovely freshness on the finish.

Medium purple-violet. Fruity, inviting bouquet with good intensity. Subtle smoky notes and a hint of licorice. On the palate, the wine is creamy, with good structure and silky, perfectly integrated tannins. A pleasant, well-balanced wine that can be enjoyed in its youth but also has potential.

Dark, intense, beautiful, and youthful color. Superb fruity nose—precise, fresh, clean—with a hint of blackberry. Ultra-smooth on the attack, delicate and melting mid-palate; this airy-bodied wine gains flavor from mid-palate through the finish. It ends long, suave, and noble, with no tannic presence, in the manner of a dry white wine. It is really very good. Blend: 54.4% Merlot, 45.6% Cabernet Franc.

Lighter bodied and less concentrated than the vintages on either side [2018 and 2016], but this is fine, racy and equally precise. There is more Cabernet Franc than usual, providing lift and expression. The tannins are finely etched and this is an elegant wine that will be accessible earlier [than some more powerful vintages]. The frosts of 2017 had no effect here, but the yield was lower than normal, at 30.2 hl/ha.