Expect black currant, dark cherry, cedar, dried herb, refined oak spice, and the Rutherford "dust" note with full body, structured tannins, and good aging potential. The 2014 Napa vintage was warm and ripe.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend (typically with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Carménère)
- Region
- USA / California / Napa Valley / Rutherford
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, structured, balanced, age-worthy, flagship
The producer
Quintessa was founded in 1990 by Agustin and Valeria Huneeus, who selected a 280-acre Rutherford property they considered a uniquely complete site for Bordeaux-style winemaking. The estate produces a single wine — the Quintessa estate blend — and is biodynamically farmed. Highly distinctive curved barrel-room architecture.
What critics say
Quintessa consistently receives scores in the mid- to high-90s from major critics and is regularly cited among Napa's most distinctive Bordeaux-style estates.
Pairing
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled ribeye, lamb shank