Previously On Raid Y(Our) Cellar

Here is a playback of our exclusive tasting of wines from Quintessa hosted by Tonya Pitts, Sommelier, Rodrigo Soto, Quintessa Estate Director, and Rebekah Wineburg, Quintessa Head Winemaker. Check out the featured wines below (while supplies last, quantities limited).

About Quintessa

Hidden in the heart of Rutherford, Quintessa is a 280-acre site that reflects a diversity of geology, biodiversity, exposures and microclimates. Inspired by this distinct property, founders Agustin and Valeria Huneeus believed that it was destined to become one of the world’s great wine estates. Today, a total of 160 acres are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carménère on 26 vineyard blocks. Each block is farmed—organically and biodynamically—harvested, and vinified individually to preserve and enhance the nuances of the land. Inspired by the land’s natural grandeur, the Huneeus family dedicated themselves to capturing the beauty and harmony of this land in the form of a great wine.

www.quintessa.com

Featured Wines:

Quintessa Red Napa Valley 2009

Quintessa Red Napa Valley 2017

Quintessa Sauvignon Blanc Illumination 2018

We will also be welcoming the 2018 Quintessa

2018 Quintessa drops on Wednesday, September 1st. First come, first served.

About the 2018 Quintessa

As winegrowers, we rarely experience a growing season that evolves as flawlessly as in the 2018 vintage. During the wintertime, before the season started, we received important rainfall, which filled Dragons Lake, our main reservoir and source of life. This helped start the season with the soil profile fully moist, which is essential to release the nutrients and minerals during the spring when the plants need them most. At this moment, we started to think about the wine we would be producing, from the pruning decisions until the exact day of harvest. 

Spring was ideal as the heavy rains from the winter transitioned to light drizzle. As the soils began to warm up, bud break occurred evenly across the estate, and the vines grew healthy and strong. During the summer months, they naturally began to slow down as temperatures slightly rose. This coincided with the vines shifting from growing shoots and leaves to maturing their grapes. This consistency remained as the season continued, with moderate temperatures during the day dropping smoothly during the evenings and at night.

There is no record on our estate of a more gracious vintage over the last fifteen years, where there was time to carefully observe the ripening of the grapes and evolution of their flavors with such care and precision. Because of this, the 2018 Quintessa is one of the finest and purest representations that we have seen to date. It reflects a vintage with a remarkable climate, the profound understanding of its diverse soils, and extraordinary precision in its winemaking.

Recently rated 99 points by International Wine Critic James Suckling, this vintage is one we look forward to sharing with family and friends for many decades to come.

JS99: "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." - James Suckling

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