2010 Quintessa Proprietory Red Blend Napa Valley (Varietal/Style / Reds / Red Blends)

95pts (CGW) Striking in its impressions of winemaking polish right from the start with a fine fit of lively, very deep fruit and sympathetic sweet oak, the 2010 Quintessa hits all the right varietal marks and earns an extra tip of the hat for its altogether impeccable sense of balance. It is so refined and tasty, in fact, that we can see how it will surely tempt early drinking, but, like all top-level Cabernet Sauvignons, it will show much more with age, and we urge that be allowed to rest for no fewer than six to eight years. Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine August 2013

92pts(IWC)Good bright, deep red. Perfumed aromas of raspberry, currant, fresh herbs, sage, tobacco leaf and flowers; downright claret-like. Broad and nicely high-pitched on the palate, with complex red fruit, spice, tobacco and herb flavors lifted by graphite minerality. This highly aromatic wine really spreads out and resounds on the back end. The building tannins are firm and a bit peppery, but the finish is pliant and sweet. A very successful vintage for this flagship bottling. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar