Quintessa - Illumination by Quintessa 2023

Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com
[vintage 2021]

Wine Enthusiast
[vintage 2021]

Made from 50% Sauvignon Blanc Musque, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon, the grapes grown both in Napa and Sonoma counties, this is an incredibly delicious, refined and impressive wine. Peach skin, orange peel and lovely, intertwined acidity provide a bright, light and memorable expression of summertime fruit and freshness. Virginie Boone

VertdeVin
[vintage 2022]

Wine Enthusiast
[vintage 2022]

Bright, refreshing and with some good fruit depth, this wine made from 50% Sauvignon Musqué can be sipped alone and will also pair nicely with lunch and appetizers. A touch of ripeness/sweetness softens the edges and amplifies the citrus and grassy flavors.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate
[vintage 2021]

A non-estate blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon, the 2021 Illumination fermented and aged in a variety of vessels, including new and used French oak, acacia barrels, stainless steel and a concrete egg. Malolactic fermentation is blocked to preserve freshness. The result is a medium to full-bodied effort, with hints of pencil shavings, crushed stone and pea shoots set against notes of ripe melon, tangerine and pink grapefruit. Drink it over the next few years.

This majestic property, situated just west of the Silverado Trail in the Rutherford AVA, totals 280 acres, with 160 planted to vines. Prior to 1990, when the vineyard development commenced, the land hadn't been cultivated, and it has been farmed in accordance with organic principles since its inception. The land defies simple description, as despite being west of the Silverado Trail, it is rather hilly and undulating, with its own small lake nestled into a depression on the property.

I visited on a weekend morning, greeted by Estate Director Rodrigo Soto and Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg (for those who don't know, Quintessa is owned by the Huneeus family, who also own such California brands as Flowers, Faust and Leviathan). The property is planted in 26 blocks, defined by topography and soil types. According to Wineburg, the two main soil types bring different characters to the wines, with the white soils contributing linearity and length, while the red soils deliver minerality and structural tannins.

After a quick tour of the vineyards, we settled in for a brief vertical of the estate red wine, covering seven vintages. Most impressive were the 2013, a year described by Wineburg as