Picayune Cellars Padlock 2018 | Seriously over-delivers on price!
Picayune Cellars Padlock 2018 presents a deep ruby-purple hue. Generous aromas of sun-kissed blackberries and spice, kissed by lilacs and violets. The mouthfeel is
- complex and bold,
- with dark fruit,
- mineral-rich graphite, and stern tannins that resolve in a long finish.
Hence, a captivating blend that over-delivers for the money. Drink now – 2030.
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 2018.
French-Inspired Red
Notably, 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 2018.
Padlock has earned member reviews that put it on par with Napa icons like TOR and fan-favorites like Hidden Ridge, and the 2018—from one of Napa’s greatest vintages ever—is one of the best bottles Picayune has ever put forth.
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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 cherishes, 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.”
