Quintessa

In the late 1980s, Agustin Huneeus and his wife, Valeria Huneeus, founded the 280 acre winery estate that would become Quintessa in Rutherford at the heart of Napa Valley. The land exhibits all the characteristics of a great vineyard with microclimates, rolling hills, and diverse soil. After 15 years of growth, the vines have become balanced, needing little encouragement to produce the stellar grapes Quintessa is known for.

Agustin Huneeus believes strongly in remaining true to the terroir of the estate and keeping the wines true to the land from which they are grown. He was born in Santiago, Chile and began his winemaking career there. He is one of the few people who have dedicated his entire career to the passion of winemaking. He started in the wine business in 1960, quickly becoming the CEO of Concha y Toro, which grew to be the largest winery in Chile under his direction. When Chilean politics made living conditions and winemaking too difficult, he left his homeland for America. Before he began his own winery, he worked for a number of other successful vineyards, even becoming Partner and President of Franciscan Estates in the mid-80s, all the while gaining experience and acquiring talent in the winemaking industry. Once Huneeus sold his interest in Franciscan Estates, he bought his dream: Quintessa. Huneeus considers himself an artist of wine and a steward of the land, and his lifelong love of wine has made a significant impact in the wine industry. The award-winning and accomplished winemaker hopes to turn his Quintessa vineyard into a world-class winery.