2022 Quintessa Red, Rutherford, USA (750ml)

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

The 2022 Quintessa is a charming wine, opening with intense aromas of black cherry and cassis that are complemented by notes of tobacco, bay laurel, cedar, and dark chocolate. Plush and inviting on entry, this wine’s flavors align with its aromas. The palate reveals dark fruits and an undertone of crushed rocks, tar, and graphite. On the finish, this vintage displays the signature fine-grained tannin of our Quintessa terroir, backed by voluminous texture and fruit.

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot

TASTING NOTES:

So sweet and purely fruity on the nose, then layered, sophisticated, detailed and complex on the palate. Full-bodied and fully tannic, yet the fine-sand tannins are beautifully integrated, with ripe red and black cherries, raspberries, blueberries and cocoa. Elegant, intricate, charming and quite fresh. Made from 93% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 1% each of carmenere, petit verdot and merlot. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.

-James Suckling, 97pts.

A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% each Carmenère, Merlot and Petit Verdot, Quintessa's 2022 Red Wine initially offers up mossy, savory and earthy notes, but those are backed by layers of mixed red and black cherries, plus some plummier bass notes. Aged 22 months in 60% New French oak, there are hints of cedar and vanilla as well. In the mouth, the wine is medium- to full-bodied, fairly broad on the palate, showing some effects of the vintage's early September heat wave, stretching the wine's structural tannins into a coarser weave than typical, without upsetting the overall sense of harmony on the lingering finish.

-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94pts.

Easily one of the most approachable Quintessa wines upon release, this vintage features the suave, plush tannins so characteristic of the estate, wrapped around charming red-fruited and purple floral notes, cedarwood spice, and graphite intensity. These elements frame the aromatics and palate expression, further nuanced by spearmint and mocha through the full-bodied finish. The fruit feels especially juicy and ripe, seemingly more so due to the ease with which the tannins glide across the palate. What a gift for collectors of this wine, which is often more tannic and reticent during even-keeled, picture-perfect growing seasons like 2021, 2016, and 2013. Since tasting it from barrel, the wine has softened significantly, and I now believe it may not age as long as initially anticipated. For the vintage, however, it’s a fantastic wine to enjoy now and regularly over the next 5 to 10 years. Harvested between 9 September and 1 October. A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, 1% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Aged 22 months in 60% new French oak and 1% in terracotta amphora.

-Decanter, 96pts.