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Quintessa
Quintessa

Quintessa

Sale price$240.00
Located in Rutherford, California, Quintessa Winery benefits from the area's warm Mediterranean climate and diverse soil composition. Rutherford's climate features a diurnal shift of about 12°F and its gravelly soils are known for creating fine grain tannins known as "Rutherford Dust." Quintessa Winery is a CCOF-certified organic farm and has the official Biodynamic certification through Demeter.
Vintage:

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carménère

Points: 92-97 Points

Vineyard: Harvested September 5 to October 6, 2024.

Winery: Average 20-day maceration, 21 months in 80% new French Oak.

Napa Valley

Napa Valley, California, is renowned for its world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and ripe expressions of Bordeaux varietals. Its warm Mediterranean climate is buffered by fog originating from the San Pablo Bay that creates stratified temperature zones diminishing in effect with distance. Its soils are some of the most diverse out of any wine-growing region in the world having sedimentary deposits from the Vaca Mountains and volcanic deposits from the Mayacamas Mountains. Its success, in its relatively short history, is partly due to its innovative spirit cultivated in partnership with its neighbor, UC Davis.

KEY FACTOR

  • Fog & Marine Influence: Receding fog layer creates stratified temperatures zones throughout the valley, increasing in effect from North to South.
  • Aspect: Cooler morning sun on the east-facing slopes and warmer afternoon sun on the west-facing slopes.
  • Growing Season: Long growing season allowing grapes, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, to hang in the vineyard, concentrate flavors, and soften astringency by lowering tannin activity.

CLIMATE

  • Climate Type: Mediterranean (warm, dry summers; mild, wet winters).
  • Growing Degree Days (GDDs): 1,300–2,700 (increases from South to North).
  • Diurnal Shift: Large, up to 40°F (22°C).
  • Annual Rainfall: Low, 12–40 inches.
  • Duration of Growing Season: Very long, about 210–260 days.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Topography: 30 miles long, 5 miles wide at its widest point; elevation ranges from 0 to 2,600+ feet (Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak). Mayacamas Mountains border the West, Vaca Range borders the East.
  • Soils: Highly diverse with 100+ variations and 33 series. Sedimentary deposits from the Vaca Mountains, volcanic deposits from the Mayacamas Mountains. Alluvial and loam soils dominate the valley floor.
  • Geology: Formed by tectonic activity, volcanic eruptions, and river erosion. Basalt, sandstone, and shale bedrock create diverse soil structures.