2010 Quintessa Red
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Tasting notes
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenère. 30 days’ maceration. Aged for 20 months in 85% new French oak (remainder neutral) from diverse forests north of the Loire River, with an emphasis on tight-grain wood, medium-plus toast. From magnum. Deep ruby with a hint of garnet. At the perfect point in its evolution. Tobacco, spice, deeply savoury but still with fresh red and black fruit and a juicy spine of acidity. Slightly chalky tannin. If I had to pick a vintage that was my favourite from this estate, this would be it. Focus and freshness and at least a decade of improvement left! Deeply spicy and evolving with so much length. (SCJ)
Critic scores
The Wine Advocate
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Proprietary Red Wine continues to drink well, showing just a slight color change at the rim. Representing a different winemaking team than current efforts (and a relatively cool vintage), it's a crisp, streamlined effort, with cigar box notes tightly framing cherry fruit, a silky feel and a lingering, mouthwatering finish.
Sheer quality: this is not so much about fruit than feelings, and it has all the autumnal bounty that you could hope for. It's rich, round, profound. Yes, there might be a degree too much alcohol on the finish, but wines like this prove why Napa is such an invigorating challenge to the old French guard. (RH)
Full medium ruby. Pretty, claret-like aromas of dark raspberry, flowers, mocha, tobacco and bay leaf. Suave and fine-grained on entry, then juicy and still a bit tight in the middle palate, offering lovely inner-mouth aromatic lift and savory herbal complexity, plus a complicating hint of brown spices. Showing no easy sweetness, but builds subtly on the vibrant back half, finishing with firm, harmonious tannins and rising perfume. Not a weighty style at all--and a lovely showing. (ST)