Château Quintus Château Quintus 2016 750ml

Ripe damson-plum fruit and generous richness make this youthful, high-end St.-Emilion surprisingly easy to drink right now. Underneath the sensual exterior is a serious structure and that becomes ever more obvious as it rolls over the palate. Very long finish that has a certain sweetness, but remains so elegant. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting.

The deep ruby-colored 2016 Château Quintus is thrilling stuff, and my money is on it being the finest to date. Saturated purple in color, powerful notes of blackberries, currants, spicy tobacco, and a touch graphite all flow to a deep, rounded, sexy Saint-Emilion that’s beautifully balanced. It shows the class of the vintage and is capable of lasting for two decades or more.

The 2016 Quintus is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. It has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and features a quiet intensity of chocolate-covered cherries, warm mulberries and plum preserves scents with underlying hints of dried lavender, star anise and potpourri. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with perfumed black fruit layers, framed by seductively plush tannins and great freshness and finishing with fantastic length.

Lush and inviting at first, with tasty raspberry, cassis and plum preserve flavors gliding through, this gains elegance as it moves along, adding light apple wood, floral and tobacco lines. A pretty mineral echo adds length and cut. Pure and stylish. Drink now through 2021. 4,800 cases made.