This is beautifully polished with firm, dusty tannins to the blue fruit, as well as chocolate and cedar character. Some much earthier character, too, from mushrooms to bark. Forest flowers. Perfumed. It’s full-bodied with round tannins and a soft, creamy finish. Some iron and iodine to this. So attractive at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better after 2023.

This is an exceptional vintage of this exceptional wine, its foundation built around 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, with dustings of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Beautiful in berry fruit, textured and refined tannin and hints of lavender, licorice and sage, it has complexity and energy in equal measure, lengthy and beautifully focused, a truly impressive achievement of site, vintage and winemaker. - VIRGINIE BOONE

A less traditional style of wine in Napa Valley, this is lifted and charming with poise, powdery tannins and a chalky finish. Richly perfumed and wonderfully evocative on the nose, it’s seductive and inviting with black cherries, raspberries and blueberries alongside savoury notes of dried herbs. The flavours open and evolve on the palate bringing cocoa, tobacco and pencil lead into play underpinned by supple tannins. It’s powerful but on the leaner side, refined and elegant with a good sense of direction and drive - everything feels well placed and well defined. Tasted twice and both times were highly enjoyable. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenére and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 20 months in oak, 100% French, 62% new. Biodynamically grown and certified organic. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg and estate director Rodrigo Soto.

Slick and well made, with coffee mocha and buttescotch edging right up front. As it opens in the glass, less sweet and more complex notes come through of bitter chocolate, damson, cocoa bean, smoky yet generous, the definition of powefful and playful. Farmed organically since 1989 and biodynamically since 1996. I recently tasted a vertical of the property going back to 2010, and am always impressed by its consistency, and its ability to deliver pleasure while still walking the line of freshness. Third year on the Place for Agustin and Valeria Huneeus, and their impact on this property has been impressive and keeps getting better. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg.

(96+ points) The 2018 Proprietary Red is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Carmenere and Petit Verdot raised in 62% new French oak. It's a gorgeous wine revealing remarkable purity in its bright blue and black fruits as well as graphite, gravelly earth, and some chalky minerality. I love its purity, it's medium to full-bodied, has integrated acidity, and a balanced, layered, incredibly seamless style. It will evolve for another 20-25 years.

(94+ points) The dense, purple-hued 2018 Proprietary Red Wine seemed just a bit closed at this tasting, with pronounced cedary notes overshadowing the black cherry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, with a lush mouthfeel, silky-textured tannins and cocoa powder-like nuances on the lingering finish. - Joe Czerwinski

The 2018 Red Wine is a powerful, driving Napa Valley wine. Scorched earth, iron, chocolate, and leather give the red cherry/plum fruit distinctly savory accents. This is an especially tight wine in a vintage that yielded generally more supple, open-knit reds. Quintessa is one of the first Napa Valley estates I visited, many years ago. Since then, the property has undergone several stylistic phases. It will be interesting to see where things go over the next handful of years here. -- Antonio Galloni

Very fresh in feel, with a racy and refined core of cassis, damson plum and raspberry reduction notes inlaid with black tea and anise hints. A subtle mineral edge adds length to the finish, with the fruit showing nice restraint despite its youth. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Drink now through 2035. 10,000 cases made. — JM