Peter Michael Au Paradis Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2019

The newest release of an iconic Cabernet Sauvignon from Peter Michael is here. Each year, as more and more people grow fond of the remarkable winemaking and grape-growing that Peter Michael is known for, there becomes less and less wine to go around. Working exclusively from estate owned and managed vineyards means very little room to grow in regard to production and instead, all of their hard work, passion, and energy is funneled into the existing vines, improving the quality of their wine every year. Located in the heart of Oakville and composed of the regions famous “red dirt”, Paul and Emily Michael purchased the Au Paradis vineyard in 2009. Next door to Dalla Valle and Joseph Phelps’ Backus Vineyard, this is a prime Oakville vineyard with the sub-appellation’s famed iron-rich soils. After spending two years improving the already exceptional property, they produced their first vintage. The single-vineyard Au Paradis is always at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc and Merlot making up the remainder. This wine, and the vineyard from which it is sourced, was inadvertently named by Paul and Emily’s youngest son who, during a family camp-out at age five, awoke to the fantastical Northern California view of a blanket of fog spread beneath their mountaintop campsite. “He woke us up and asked if we were in heaven. The view below was indeed so beautiful we almost didn’t mind that it was very, very early, especially because the perfect name for the newest vineyard had at last been found.” – Emily Michael Au Paradis is exactly where its name translates, ‘In Heaven.’ Planted in the foothills on the east side of the valley on a raised, gently sloping plateau, the Bordeaux varietals develop into a classic style with silky tannins and deep red fruit. Between 500 and 600 feet, 26 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot look down on the valley and across to the Mayacamas. The slope and hillside location provide ideal sun exposure during the day and help develop the lush, intense fruit one would expect from such a magnificent property. Hand-harvested on between October 4th to October 22nd, the blend is made up of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Merlot aged 18 months in French oak barrels from select artisan coopers. The 2019 ‘Au Paradis’ displays a deep ruby hue in the glass, with a brilliant, aromatic array of black cherry, cassis, blackberry compote, and violets, accented with hints of graphite, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. On the palate, the round, mouth-filling entry showcases high-quality, fine-grained tannins with black tea and cocoa powder notes before giving way to a broad, structured, multilayered midpalate and resolving into a seamlessly elegant finish with great length. This classic ‘Au Paradis’ combines elegance with power. Approachable even in its youth, it will improve with five years to two decades of cellaring.