Quintessa Rutherford Red Blend 2011 and 2015

Napa red blends are a dime a dozen, though few will reach the level of prestige and sophistication that Quintessa has achieved. The vineyard destined to become Quintessa was purchased nearly 30 years ago by Valeria and Agustin Huneeus, the latter of whom cut his wine industry teeth, and found serious success, at Chilean based Concha y Toro. 

However, the duo’s success didn't come overnight. First, the couple had to entirely plan their 280 acres of newly acquired land, as the Rutherford area wasn’t yet cultivated the way it is today. The Huneeus’ sought help from their dear friend Jean Claude Berrouet, the esteemed winemaker at Petrus. Talk about a serious helping hand. Berrouet was no stranger to the region, as his grape-stained hands were already working behind the scenes at Dominus-- a serious foreshadowing for the burgeoning prosperity to be found at Quintessa.

Like most great success stories, Quintessa’s still needed time. Agustin and Valeria were vinifying their wines elsewhere until they were finally able to build their own state-of-the-art facility in 2002. Michel Rolland jumped on board to consult on the project in 2010, and like most of what Rolland touches, the project immediately turned to gold.

Despite having 280 acres to their names, the Huneeus' Quintessa vineyard only comprises 160 of those. The plantings are dedicated to classic ‘Left Bank Bordeaux’ varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (which dominates the majority of the vineyard), Merlot, and smatterings of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere. In addition, less than 2 acres of Sauvignon Blanc are also cultivated. Just three wines are vinified at the estate, though the winery’s claim to fame is undoubtedly their Cabernet Sauvignon, which is actually a blend of all of the above red Bordeaux varieties.

Both Valeria and Agustin are passionate farmers who view their vineyard as a working ecosystem. For that reason, all farming is done organically, with utmost respect to the land and fruit put first. Post hand-harvest, grapes are brought to the winery via gravity and are vinified gently in oak and/or stainless steel tanks. Blocks are aged separately for up to 24 months in French oak until the final blend is ready to be created. The 2015 vintage has already received heaps of stellar praises, so naturally I had to open it alongside an equally prestigious vintage. 

Let’s just say that this side-by-side tasting re-confirmed everything I thought about Napa: 8 out of 10 vintages in the region are great… they just simply need time. Both bottles exuded pleasantly plump flavors of sappy black fruit, warm baking spices, crushed graphite, pencil shavings, and cloves. Tannins are gritty and well-integrated in both bottles, though naturally the ‘11 is showing a bit more finesse, a gift that only time can bring. The wines’ succulent and intense flavors are balanced by bright acidity and solid structure, which assure these bottles will withstand the test of time. My only regret is that I didn’t hold off to do this tasting a few years down the line-- but with wines this good, who could blame me? Serious collectors, snag these vintages and hold them for the long haul.

1998 Chateau Palmer Margaux Bordeaux

1998 Château Palmer Margaux Bordeaux

 Drinking Classified Bordeaux is always a treat. Drinking a bottle that’s over 20 years old? Now that’s something special.  Imagine my surprise when this wine was poured for me as a “pairing” on The Alinea Gallery Menu!   I was instantly blown away by the youthfulness of the palate. In retrospect, 20 years YOUNG is a better way to describe this bottle. The course served was Rossini of Wagyu, Frites, Foie Gras, Wood-ear and Truffle.  – A textbook and delicious pairing most certainly brought together by a chef who cares deeply for the innovation of classics and a sommelier who pounded through hundreds of options to find the perfect match.  Inspiring for sure. 

 So, a bit about Château Palmer. The winery sits in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux’s Left Bank and is one of fourteen Third Growths, however, Palmer is undoubtedly one of the better-known names. As with many estates in Bordeaux, the story behind Palmer’s rich history includes multiple family names, heirs, and a dab of casual royalty. The most recent part of Château Palmer’s story dates to 1814, when the property was sold to an England native, Major General Charles Palmer. Like most Englishmen, Palmer had an affinity for good Bordeaux and quickly expanded the property upon acquiring it. By 1831, more than 160 hectares sat under the Palmer name. However, things began to plummet just a decade later, and inconveniently, right before the 1855 classification, Palmer was forced to sell his property to Francoise-Marie Bergerac-- for a serious financial loss, nonetheless. The estate then bounced over to an agricultural corporation, ultimately falling into the hands of Isaac and Emile Péreire, otherwise known as the arch nemesis to the renowned Rothschild family. What started with a great few years quickly followed with some years of difficulty. To the brothers’ chagrin, powdery mildew contaminated the property just five years later, forcing them to replant a serious chunk of vines. And it didn’t stop there. World War I and the Great Depression followed, forcing the brothers to sell the estate off piece by piece. The duo couldn’t catch a break.

 Shortly after, four local families formed the Société Civile de Château Palmer and sold the wines under a neighboring Château that was also purchased by the same group. At the turn of the millennium, 2004 to be exact, Thomas Duroux took the reins at the estate, and let’s just say he was beyond well-prepared. Before running the show at Palmer, Duroux was previously a winemaker at Tenuta dell’Ornellaia. The guy clearly knows what he’s doing. Today, Palmer is comprised of 55 hectares of vines. 94% of plantings are dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (exactly 47% of each), with the remaining 6% planted to Petit Verdot.

 1998 was an extremely important year over at Palmer. In addition to the standard Palmer cuvée, the estate began vinifying a second wine, known as Alter Ego de Palmer. While the latter wine is produced with the intention of earlier consumption, Palmer’s Grand Vin is what continues to captivate my and many other Bordeaux aficionado’s attention. The wine is a blend of all three grape varieties planted at the estate. 1998 was a hot, dry, and rather ripe vintage that gave way to tannic, textured wines that, like most grand vins from Bordeaux, need some time. Fermentation took place in cone-shaped steel vats, followed by 18-20 months of aging in French oak. Drinking now, the wine shows flavors of fleshy black fruit, pencil shavings, sage, and wet earth. Although beautiful, I would potentially continue to wait a few more years to see the true magic unfold.

 Another interesting turn of events over at Palmer is their conversion to biodynamic viticulture. Of course, they weren’t doing this 20 years ago, but as of 2017, all vineyards are 100% farmed with these principles. The estate is also experimenting with other technological advances, including the use of infrared cameras to detect the ideal moment to pick. In addition to their open-mindedness to move with the times, it’s the estate’s consistent production of world-class, age worthy bottles that keeps us all coming back for more.