Picayune Cellars Padlock 2017 | Seriously over-delivers on price!
Picayune Cellars Padlock 2017 presents a Bold, generous, and instantly gratifying with a dark ruby core and a kiss of pink on the rim. Purple flowers awaken the senses, rounded out by blackberry pie notes, chocolate brownies, and baking spice. The mouthfeel is generous and wonderfully orchestrated, full of dark fruit and mineral-driven graphite, and resolving in a hint of acidity and silky tannins. Drink now – 2028.
Red Wine Gems Under $35
While Picayune winemaker Claire Weinkauf’s résumé is as diverse as it is impressive. After a wine degree in Chile and harvests in St.-Émilion, she met 100-point winemaker Paul Hobbs. Of course, hiring her at the renowned Viña Cobos in Argentina and his California winery—a distinct and varied expertise that manifests beautifully in the Picayune Cellars Padlock 2017.
French-Inspired Red
The name “Padlock” refers to the hush-hush Napa sources of Picayune’s first-rate grapes, which Weinkauf keeps shrouded in secrecy to preserve the wine’s amazing value. With Paul Hobbs, her husband Aron (winemaker at Spottswoode), and a myriad of her own connections, Weinkauf had her pick of premier vineyard sources in 2017. So, she had no problem finding the exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot that make up the 2017 Padlock.
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So, given 15 months to age in French oak, this wine develops the classic structure of the reds that the Bordelaise cherish, kissed by Napa sunshine. Accessible and contemplative at the same time, and at just $30, it’s a seductive wine we find ourselves reaching for again and again, guilt-free. And that’s the intention. “I never drink just one glass of wine,” Claire said. “And Padlock is designed to support that.”
Winemaker Claire Weinkauf
“Before anything, I’m a wine drinker,” Claire told us recently as she explained Picayune’s insane price-to-quality ratio. “But when I got to California, I was shocked at how expensive good wines were. While Picayune was born after too many bottles of really great, expensive wine. First, I want to drink really well, without declaring bankruptcy. “So, I never drink just one glass of wine,” Claire went on, “And Padlock is designed to support that.”
