Quintessa 2016

2106 was an excellent vintage, with a cool August which allowed the fruit to “reach peak ripeness and beautiful vineyard expression,” the winery says in its notes. This is a lovely wine. During our tasting, winemaker Rebekah Wineburg said that it was aged in 60% new French oak. “We’re bringing it down,” she said, almost with surprise (as if noticing for the first time). The fruit is dark and sweet and perfumed, with a hint of sage and herb (that particularly creamy, scented Napa garrigue). The tannins show a perfect expression of the elusive sensation of powdery, ultra-dark chocolate and tang of iron that aficionadoes call Rutherford dust (a term allegedly coined by André Tchelistcheff). Crunchy, fresh, bright and juicy. Accomplished.