Tech Notes
Wine Details
International Wine Report
James Suckling
Decanter
Wine Enthusiast
Jeb Dunnuck
Wine Spectator
By Huneeus Vintners
2023 Quintessa
Vintage
After three years of drought, the winter of 2023 gifted us with copious rain. It replenished the lake and deeply saturated the vineyard soils. These reserves provided the foundation for a strong growing season. Cool and wet conditions in early spring delayed bud break by two to three weeks. This unhurried cadence set the tone for the entire vintage. The clusters ripened slowly throughout a mild summer. Harvest began on September 22nd with Merlot in the Las Casas block and concluded on October 30th in our Bench block.
Source Details
Appellation: Rutherford
Region: Napa Valley
Vineyard Blocks: Dragon's Terrace, Monte Cruz, Corona, Bench, Mt Calisse, Las Casas, Riviera, Silver Sur, Silver Norte, Pedraza, Winery, Tesoro, Lake, Canyon
Farming: The Quintessa estate has been farmed according to organic principles since its planting in 1989 and with biodynamic practices since 1996.
Seasonal Rainfall: 40 inches
Harvest: September 22nd - October 30th, 2023
Production
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere, 2% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Maceration: 20 days average skin contact
Aging: 22 months in 60% new French oak, 37% neutral oak, 3% terracotta amphora
Alcohol: 14.50%
Bottling Date: July 2025
Tasting Notes
The 2023 Quintessa is a wine of remarkable balance and clarity. Lifted aromatics, bright acidity, and fine, precise tannins are all markers of the long growing season. The wine is harmonious and poised: an elegant tribute to nature's equilibrium.
[Information provided by Quintessa]
Region
Napa Valley
Vintage
2023
Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Country
United States
Unit Size
750.00 ML
Alcohol Percentage
14.50
Appellation
Rutherford
Wine:Â QUINTESSA Proprietary Red, Rutherford 2023
Score/Rating: 99
Suggested Drinking Window:Â 2027 - 2050
Review Date: 09/2026
Reviewed By:Â J. D'Angelo
Tasting Notes:Â The 2023 Quintessa is a striking expression of Napa Valley sophistication, marrying power and concentration with remarkable elegance and precision. It opens with layers of black cherry, cassis, and ripe blackberry, complemented by notes of crushed violets, fresh herbs, cedar, and subtle baking spice. Rich and concentrated on the palate, the wine showcases dark-fruited flavors framed by lively acidity and supple, well-integrated tannins. Hints of graphite, cocoa, and earthy minerality add further complexity, lending a savory edge to the fruit and reflecting the character of its Rutherford origins. As it evolves in the glass, the wine reveals greater complexity, with floral undertones and a touch of toasted oak carrying through to an elegant, lingering finish. Powerful without feeling overworked, it demonstrates impressive balance and refinement, with the structure and concentration to develop beautifully over the coming years. A simply beautiful wine.
Wine:Â Quintessa Napa Valley Rutherford 2023
Score/Rating: 99
Review Date: 03/23/2026
Reviewed By:Â Ryan Montgomery
Tasting Notes: Luscious dark fruit that’s soft and supple. Aromas of blackberries, currants, violets, graphite, licorice, spices, dried flowers and chalk. The palate is densely packed, with dark fruit, fine minerally tannins and bright acidity, bringing a rustic, ferric feel and a bright, fresh and focused profile. What an exceptional release. Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Aged in 60% new French oak. Drink or hold.
Wine:Â Quintessa, Red Wine, Napa Valley, Rutherford, California, USA, 2023
Score/Rating: 99
Suggested Drinking Window:Â 2026 - 2050
Review Date: 03/17/2026
Reviewed By:Â Jonathan Cristaldi
Tasting Notes:Â A marvelously bright red from winemaker Rebekah Wineburg, remarkably fragrant in its mineral elegance of the dusty red pulverized earth that is so characteristic of the Rutherford AVA, also appearing on the palate as fine, gravelly, cocoa-powder infused tannins. Pure-fruited, with ripe cassis and blackberry notes, salted dark chocolate, and a full-bodied personality, radiant with exotic floral notes of hibiscus and red rose, with a touch of dried sage and rosemary that adds further complexity. Incredibly elegant and built for long-term cellaring. The full blend includes: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere, 2% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. After 20 days of maceration, the wine was aged for 22 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 3% in a terracotta amphora.
Wine:Â Quintessa 2023 Cabernet Blend (Rutherford)
Score/Rating: 98
Review Date: 07/01/2026
Reviewed By:Â Elaine Chukan Brown
Tasting Notes:Â The 2023 Quintessa shines with clarity, detail, and poise. A remarkable wine. Violets and lavender lift from the glass, carrying with them aromas of black currants, tobacco and cedar. Cashmere like tannins join brightening acidity delivering elegance, restraint, and durability for aging. Will benefit from decanting if opening now, but will develop in bottle beautifully.
Wine:Â 2023 Quintessa
Score/Rating: 96+
Suggested Drinking Window:Â 2026 - 2036
Review Date: 06/24/2026
Reviewed By:Â Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes:Â Pure creme de cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, and violet nuances all define the aromatics of the 2023 Quintessa, another gorgeous wine from this talented winemaker. Based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere, 2% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 60% new French oak with a portion resting in terracotta amphora, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with remarkable purity, ultra-fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. This pure, balanced, graceful, seamless beauty is delicious today yet won't hit its prime for a decade. Drink 2026-2036.
Wine: Quintessa Rutherford 2023
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window:Â Best from 2027 through 2040
Review Date: 11/15/2026
Reviewed By:Â James Molesworth
Tasting Notes:Â Juicy, focused and vivid flavors of blackberry and boysenberry paste stretch out steadily, while iris, anise and singed apple wood notes fill in liberally. Fine-grained, with a ping of iron echoing through the fruit at the tail end of the lengthy finish. Shows lovely purity and persistence. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2040.
