Name: Quintessa Red Blend 2019 750ml
Brand: Quintessa
SKU: 901462
Price: 177.95 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 96.3 (8 reviews)

United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.

California

California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.

Napa Valley

When it comes to New World wines, and especially wines from the United States of America, Napa Valley is something of a standard bearer. Over its relatively short history, it has managed to transform itself from being a fairly insignificant region, to becoming one of the most important and highly regarding wine locations on earth. With an ideal climate for viticulture, blazing sunshine and a low level of rainfall, this valley is shielded on many sides by mountain ranges which help it maintain a consistent level of heat, light and moisture throughout the year. Today, Napa Valley is a home of innovation and quality, with dozens of grape varietals thriving in the fertile soils. However, the main varietals grown there have always been Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel, and the wines they produce are constantly lauded by critics and competitions across the globe.

WE 100pts

Wine Enthusiast

#19 TOP 100 CELLAR SELECTIONS 2022. This is a winemaker's master class in blending and understanding of a long-standing site. Dried herb, cedar and pencil shavings accent lifted red fruit and brilliant acidity on the palate, with a supple yet still youthfully grippy texture that is framed by structured, graceful tannins. Enjoy from 2029–2039. (Cellar Selection)

JS 99pts

James Suckling

#84 Wine of the World 2022. So much earth and spice with walnut and wet earth. Like fog laying over the valley in the morning. Black fruit. Medium-to full-bodied with super-fine tannins that are long and persistent, with graceful progression and length on the palate. So long, with real definition. September 2022 release. From biodynamically grown grapes. Hard not to drink now, but will age wonderfully.

JD 97pts

Jeb Dunnuck

Still gorgeous, the 2019 Proprietary Red has a more layered, rounded, opulent style while still being pure, balanced, and elegant. Full-bodied, round, and lush, with currants, tobacco, chalky mineral and some graphite notes, it has velvety tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. The blend is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenere, and the rest Petit Verdot, with the élevage spanning 22 months in 60% new French oak.

DC 96pts

Decanter

Dark chocolate, violets and blackcurrants on the nose. Sticky, sweet, full, plush and ripe, fruit is dark - blackcurrant, black cherry and plum with lots of sweet liquorice and some earthy notes that give it a savoury touch. A bold and powerful style, you can feel the alcohol a bit and the wood still but there is good vibrancy and energy with a chiselled frame and generous freshness. Still extremely youthful with the structure fully on show, still settling and finding its refinement. 2% Carménère completes the blend. Ageing 22 months in French oak (60% new).

TWI 96pts

The Wine Independent

Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenere, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple colored. It explodes from the glass with bombastic scents of blackcurrant cordial, baked plums, and blueberry preserves, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of dried roses, cedar chest, camphor, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate reveals impressive restraint, offering a refreshing backbone and loads of savory accents to counter the generous fruit, finishing with a quiet intensity and great plushness. The result is a very cleverly done Cabernet!

WA 95pts

Wine Advocate

The 2019 Proprietary Red Wine is more open and effusive than the 2018 version, with gentle floral nuances set against a backdrop of black cherries and cassis, joined by subtle notes of tobacco, cedar and vanilla. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, streamlined, silky and lush, nicely balanced and elegant, with a long, softly dusty finish tinged with licorice and caramel. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

VM 94pts

Vinous Media

The 2019 Quintessa is one of the best wines I have tasted here in some time. Broad swaths of tannin wrap around a core intense dark plum, mocha, licorice and spice. The 2019 clearly needs a few years in bottle to come together. Quintessa is a large, sprawling property with many different exposures. My feeling is that it may not ultimately be suited to making a single large production flagship wine, but that perhaps a series of smaller production wines might showcase the site better.

WS 93pts

Wine Spectator

Sports a very forward set of cassis and creamed plum notes before giving way to a firmer, more authoritative iron, warm earth and singed alder profile. Grippy and dense through the finish, but there's cut and drive, with a savory edge adding good energy. This just needs some time for the mineral side to settle in with the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2024 through 2034. 10,000 cases made.

Winery Notes

The great wines of the world consistently express the distinct qualities of the estates from which they come. In Napa, Quintessa is such a wine. To preserve the natural mosaic of the vineyard, each small plot is farmed, harvested and vinified individually so that the nuances of the land shine through. Afterward, the best components are brought together to create a wine of elegance and harmony. Depending on the vintage, Quintessa may include some or all of the five varietals grown on the property Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. The fruit is harvested early in the morning, then sorted and gravity fed into oak, stainless steel or concrete tanks and vinified. Once fermentation and maceration are complete, the wine from each plot is aged separately for up to two years in French oak. After the final Quintessa blend is created, the wine is bottled and laid down for yet another year before release.

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