PNV QUINTESSA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. CALISSE
NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2021
Lot #101 at this year's Premiere Napa Valley Auction silenced the room: a never-before-bottled single-block Cabernet from Quintessa's vaunted Mt. Calisse vineyard. We moved decisively to secure all 60 bottles of this extraordinary wine, drawn from a remarkable Rutherford AVA site where volcanic white ash soils – more commonly found on Pritchard Hill and Howell Mountain – make a rare valley floor appearance.
This is the first time Mt. Calisse has stood on its own, though it's long been revered within Quintessa as a core component of their legendary estate blend. The site's distinctive terroir comes from ancient landslides in the Vaca Mountains, creating hillside terraces rich with rhyolitic ash that bring mountain Cabernet character to the heart of Rutherford.
Quintessa fermented the grapes in concrete tanks to preserve purity and develop the supple, elegant tannins that are the estate's hallmark. The result? Pure magic. Intense floral aromatics and vibrant red fruits riding a linear structure that speaks of its unique origins, finishing with the classic, fine-grained chalkiness that marks the finest mountain Cabernets.
The auction itself was a testament to Napa's enduring appeal, drawing 197 accounts from 29 states and 10 countries, with more than 1,000 trade members attending in person. Among the 166 unique wines showcased, this lot stands apart – not just for its rarity, but also for what it represents: a singular expression from one of Napa's most meticulous estates, where organic farming has been the standard since 1990 and biodynamic practices since 1996.
60 bottles produced. One chance to taste the essence of a legendary estate's most distinctive block. The DNA of Quintessa, captured in bottle. Secure yours today!