Recently I toured and tasted at a unique vineyard and winery amongst those in Napa: Quintessa. The "qui" in the name refers to the 5 growing areas with distinctly different microclimates. The grounds are extremely beautiful, and farming practices are done in ways that are earth-friendly and as natural as possible. For example, rose bushes are planted along the rows of wines to attract certain pests to the roses in lieu of the grape plants.

More on Biodynamic Farming
So what is this biodynamic farming voodoo, anyway? In this system, "the farm as a self-contained, living organism influenced by energy from other planets and the moon". Viticulturalists attempt to marry their farming tactics with natures rhythms in the hope that the biodynamically raised grapes will give the wines "a sense of place, reflecting the vineyard's soil, microclimate and topography".

Instead of using pesticides, biodynamics may require spraying the soil and vines with compost teas made by adding water to homeopathic preparations (possibly consisting of tiny amounts of manure, ground quartz, dried flowers and tree bark that are fermented). Sounds yucky, but being in tune with nature makes for more healthy vines, which results in better fruit, which results in better wine. It all starts in the field...

What Makes Quintessa Special
As this lovely winery was built in the early '90's, it utilizes the most technologically advanced and up to date equipment and winemaking practices out there. Another unique point about Quintessa is that it only produces one variety of red wine; you won't find it making cabernet sauvignons, merlots, pinot noirs, malbecs, etc., rather, you can avail yourself of the taste of Quintessa wine itself from a particular vintage.

2003 Vintage
The grapes from the 2003 crush are representative of some of the best wines available from California. Quintessa 2003 is a complex wine that neither whispers nor screams at you. This year's vintage was a blend of several different grape varietals grown onsite. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grape come together in a well-balanced wine that looks deep burgendy; smells deeply of berries, lightly of oak/vanilla; is medium bodied; has the faintest hint of mineral; and has a slight tannic bite to allow for a rich taste (slightly plush, quick to disappear texture - which I like). Note that while I am definitely not a fan of tannins, a bit of them is necessary in order for a wine to be truly complex.

There is a pleasant oak nose to the wine, as it was fermented in either stainless steel or oak tanks (or both, as it is a mixture of different varietal blocks), then aged in oak barrels in Quintessa's cellar for 2 years before blending and release.

Wine Enthusiast rated this wine an astounding 94 points, and suggests this is a wine for keeping. Most good red wines do perform better with a bit of age, and Quintessa 2003 is no exception. That is why it tasted so great to me in 2008.

Purchase Details
A smaller 375ml bottle of Quintessa 2003 costs a pretty penny, and you can find it online or at your local wine store (if you are lucky enough to have one stocking it in your city). For more expensive wines such as this, I like to buy the smallest bottle possible and savor it. This is definitely not a wine to share at a party or with those who don't appreciate wine. For those of us who do, this is a very decent wine which I would definitely try again!



Recommended: Yes

Year: Non-Vintage
Winery Name: Quintessa
Varietal: Red Blend
Country: USA
State or Region: CA
County or Appellation: Napa
Price: 55
Wine Rating Scale: Better than most