2019 · Quintessa

Quintessa is a single-estate winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley, founded in 1989 by Agustín and Valeria Huneeus and still family owned within Huneeus Vintners. Set at the foot of the Vaca Mountains, the property is a mosaic of hills, valleys, varied soils and microclimates, with woodland, native vegetation and Dragon Lake supporting wildlife. The estate has been farmed organically since its early years and biodynamically since the mid-1990s, later earning CCOF organic and Demeter biodynamic certification. Quintessa is focused on one estate-grown Bordeaux-style red blend each vintage, drawn from small vineyard blocks planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carménère. The hillside winery uses gravity flow and an eco-sensitive design integrated with the landscape.