The 2012 Quella has put on considerable weight over the last year. Dark cherry, plum, hard candy, mint, dark spices and new leather all blossom in the glass. The 2012 is ample and broad on the palate, with superb presence, but perhaps a touch less in the way of finesse relative to the best wines in this range. Today the Quella feels a bit heavy.

A provocative effort that is a potential candidate for perfection is the 2012 Quella Proprietary Red Blend from Pritchard Hill, a site that tends to produce wines of great delineation, precision and perfume. This opulent, full-bodied effort reveals fabulous fruit, freshness and focus as well as super depth, and an extravagantly rich mouthfeel without being heavy or over-the-top. A sensational wine, it should drink well for three decades.