critic reviews
The 2021 Quintus has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It comes bounding out with exuberant notes of black cherries and juicy plums, leading to hints of licorice, tar, and underbrush. The medium-bodied palate offers plenty of fresh black fruit flavors, with a refreshing line, offset by rounded tannins, finishing with a skip in its step.
The 2021 Quintus has a tightly packed and quite backward bouquet, mainly black fruit with a light iris flower element, followed later by a touch of leather. The palate is medium-bodied with a pleasant, sapid entry. There is not great depth here, but there is a fine bead of acidity, and the peppery finish is enticing. Overall, it is not a memorable Quintus like other vintages and as such, I suspect it will be for shorter-term drinking that others.
A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Quintus delivers a vibrant bouquet with aromas of dark berries, plums, cassis and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that's layered and lively, built around powdery tannins and concluding with a saline, sapid finish. Given the characteristics of the vintage, this wine stands out as a remarkable achievement, rivaling some more heralded years at this address.