Napa Valley’s Quintessa is a wine estate that doesn’t do things by halves. Tucked between two mountain ranges in Rutherford, an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, owners Agustin and Valeria Huneeus have invested massively in understanding their terroir and their vineyards.
Born in Chile, Agustin became chief executive officer of Concha y Toro in 1960, and grew the company from a small, local producer to become Chile’s largest winery. The vision for Quintessa, however, is quite different. First planted in 1990, it remains a distinctly boutique operation with vineyard blocks set among 100 acres of undisturbed woodland. Farming follows organic and biodynamic principles and they produce only two wines: the Estate Red, a Bordeaux-inspired blend, and added more recently, Illumination, a white partner made from Sauvignon and Semillon.
Digging the Dirt
Geological consultants have undertaken extensive research into the soils and specific nature of each of their vineyard blocks. From white volcanic ash on their eastern hills to silty loam on the ‘bench’, each of the 20-plus individual plots has been mapped and analysed, cross-referenced with sensory and chemical analysis. Some blocks have been broken down further into ‘terroir zones’ in pursuit of understanding how the geology influences vine growth and behaviour.

The Wines
I recently had the opportunity to taste the latest vintages of both Quintessa and Illumination from the 2021 and 2023 vintages respectively. Also included for reference, my tasting of the 2019 Quintessa which was my Wine of the Month in 2022.
(2024) Quintessa's white comes from their vineyard planted in 2002, but blends 60% Napa and 40% Sonoma fruit. The blend itself consists of 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué (a fragrant clone of Sauvignon) and 10% Sémillon. Initial impression is of great succulence, ripe and juicy pear, creamy lemon curd and a hint of nettle. There is a tiny grace note of something rosemary-like. In the mouth it is supple and quite firm. It was fermented with wild yeast, and made in a combination of oak and acacia barrels, steel tanks and concrete eggs, so there is a little spice and a taut, flinty and steely character that plays beautifully against sweet mid-palate fruit with a tang of grapefruit in the finish. It is being sold en primeur at £252 per six at time of review.
(2024) From Rutherford in the Napa Valley, organically-grown Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 91% of the blend, along with Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It spent 22 months in a complex mix of 65% New French Oak, 32% Neutral oak and 3% Terracotta Amphora. What a svelte and elegant opening, silky aromas are so polished, succulent black fruit is touched by violet and kirsch, a dark cocoa and cedar in the background. The palate follows on seamlessly, plush and intense, the tannins chocolate-smooth and the acid really juicy and fine. That extends the wine into a long, tapering finish.
(2022)

From a biodynamic estate in Rutherford, Napa, that is dedicated to this single Bordeaux blend (91% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Cab Franc, Merlot, Carmenere and Petit Verdot). The wine spent 22 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. It has an arresting nose, where balsamic and liquorice notes play against ripe black fruits, intriguing hints of anise and flowers, graphite, but a solidity too. In the mouth the sweet fruit and thick, creamy tannin coats the tongue. There's a hint of something edgy and herbal, and the acid beautifully pitched, adding a rasp of extra grippy freshness. Subtle spicing and dark, olive-twisted savoury fruit dominate the long finish. Very impressive and surely with a 20 years of cellaring potential. The wine will be released on Bordeaux's 'La Place' in September 2022 before being distributed to retailers.