Nose
The 2005 Quintessa
opens with beautiful complexity, perfume and nuance on the nose.
Palate
In the glass, the wine
amplifies with time and a quiet entry builds to a structured, solid mid-palate with dense
black fruit. Its long finish unfolds with exquisitely supple tannins and a caress of sweet fruit.
Growing Conditions
The 2005 growing season started with an early budbreak after a warm, late winter and
glimpses of spring between rain showers. Rain continued well into May coinciding with
Merlot flowering and as a result, lowered yields. Summer’s warmth provided a welcome and
easy transition. We recognized early that the vines were providing a bountiful crop and
dropped fruit to bring the vines into balance. The grapes lingered in a state of bliss through the
fall, with even, mild weather that brought the fruit to ideal maturity naturally.
Bottling
Bottling Date:
July 2007
Winemaking
Careful yield management and a truly ideal fall ripening climate gave us wines with
structure, refined tannins, elegance and potential for long aging.
Maceration:
30 days average
Aging
18 months in
100% French oak, 85% new from
diverse forests north of the
Loire River. Tight grain
wood, medium plus toast.
Coopers
Taransaud, Sylvain, Seguin
Moreau, Bousset, Saury.
