QUINTESSA
NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2023
Decanter has anointed the 2023 vintage in Napa as “the vintage of a lifetime,” and the 99-point Quintessa, a new release from this great estate, stands as one of the very best expressions of that class.
“Immensely stylish and polished,” wrote Decanter in its review, a wine of “deep power, fantastic concentration and a perfect balance of acidity and soaring tannins.”
To which we’d just like to add that it's (sorry, can't resist) quintessentially Quintessa in its seamlessness, its phenomenal concentration, and its mind-blowing attention to detail.
Wineburg has said that great wine is an act of blending, of coaxing different and sometimes disparate elements into something harmonious, and although Illumination is certainly an example of that, and a great one, the Quintessa 2023 is, to our mind, the highest expression of that philosophy.
The balance here is remarkable, and so is the clarity, as if there had been no blending at all.
The 2023 vintage marked the debut of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the recently replanted Riviera Block. And this, together with a slightly increased use of terracotta amphora during élevage, has given the wine an extra measure of freshness and purity.
But it’s in the methodical approach to finding the perfect mix that this marvelous wine became itself.
Over the course of a year, Wineburg and her team taste through roughly 150 different barrel samples, each one a unique expression of the estate, some drawn from blocks picked as many as six separate times based on flavor development and ripeness. From that vast library, they select the lots with the most eloquent character and determine the exact proportions that will bring the most optimal mix of finesse, power, elegance, and complexity.
And man oh man, did they ever find optimality in this one.
An extraordinary vintage, an extraordinary wine.
Secure your bottles and cases today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec.21st - Mar. 20th, 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NY, OK, or TN. This offer is valid for TWO WEEKS, or until sold out, and will expire on Monday, September 7th, 2026.