2023 Quintus (St-Emilion)

Brambled fruit, richly textured, with juice that runs through the palate bringing you into the heart of St Emilion. Push and pull in texture between grilled smoky oak and slate-scraping pumice stone tannins, this takes its time to open, well judged and skilfully constructed. 43hl/h yield, 42ha in production since addition of Grand Pontet in 2021. Audrey Bernard joined the technical team in March 2021 direct from Opus One, plus new director Mariette Veyssiere. 94 points

The 2023 Quintus is a rich, racy Grand Vin. Ample and resonant, the 2023 offers up copious dark-toned fruit, cedar, mint, tobacco, incense and French oak. There`s tons of power and breadth but also more freshness than the early vintages, even if the oak is a touch present today. 94-96 points

This year, the 2023 Quintus is a well-performing wine, possessing a dense, complex bouquet of smoke, dark wild berries and licorice intertwined with a delicate, oaky frame. Fleshy and ample, medium to full-bodied, it’s perfectly balanced with a delicate, lively core of fruit and a long, ethereal and chalky finish. The influence of the Grand Pontet limestone plateau lends additional straightness and precision to this wine, a blend of 78.3% Merlot and 21.7% Cabernet Franc. 93-95 points