Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Bold and generous aromas of blackberries, coffee beans, licorice and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied with firmly framed tannins and balanced acidity, giving earthy dark-fruit notes that finish with a savory touch. Great value. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 48% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot and aged in 20% new French oak, the 2023 Quartet offers ripe black cherries, tobacco, black olive, and chocolate-driven aromatics. It's medium to full-bodied and has a round, lush, layered mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and beautiful purity. I love its tannins, and it's going to evolve for 10-15 years with ease. There are 865 cases produced. Drink 2025-2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon from Coombsville, with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah from Carneros, Marietta's 2023 Quartet Red Wine remains an excellent value in Napa's overall pricing scheme. Deep and dark, with cassis and blackberries leading the way, this is full-bodied and concentrated, capped off by a long, softly tannic finish.
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Wine Spectator
A dark and brooding red that retains a sense of focus and style, offering deep flavors of blackberry, bittersweet chocolate and tobacco that end with broad-shouldered tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2034.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.