Parador, Napa Valley Red Blend Supply

Parador, Napa Valley Red Blend

After spending 30 months in tightly-grained French oak and 144 more in bottle, Parador’s 2006 Napa Valley red is a rare departure from the norm and a jaw-dropping deal that rejects Econ-101 logic. This is a Napa Valley red masterpiece, led by single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and augmented with a thrilling Spanish twist (more on that later), but right now, the sole focus must be on just how perfect of a drinking experience this is for $49. 

Aside from Steve Ventrello’s blending mastery being on full display, one simply cannot ignore the impeccable provenance here: Today’s powerhouse red hasn’t been introduced to a single ray of sunlight or more than a few degrees of temperature fluctuation since 2006. In other words, it has spent the duration of its 15 years slowly evolving in a vinous Shangri-La, and today, Ventrello is allowing us limited access into this paradise. He originally produced just seven barrels of this texturally profound and refined Napa Valley red but held back a small number of cases over the years—as keen, passionate winemakers are wont to do. The results are spectacular, and the fact that he’s offering us an exclusive deal makes it all the more desirable. Enjoy it within three hours of opening and I assure you it’ll stand out as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, mature sub-$50 Napa reds of your life!

Having sold the great wines of the world over a long career as a wine merchant, Steve Ventrello crafts Parador with what might be called a European sensibility. This Cabernet-dominated red, while in no way lacking in body and structure, is constructed more along old-school Bordeaux lines—he isn’t gunning for “cult wine” status, but rather a powerful, subtly complex red that he’d want to drink both on release and 10-20 years down the line. But this sumptuous red has a crucial blending partner, too, and that’s where the above-mentioned “Spanish twist” comes in: Tempranillo makes up 45% of this wine! It adds rich, velvety textures and a savory imprint that has no equal in the entire Napa Valley—truly.

Whether it’s the Mayacamas Range to the west or the Vaca Range to the east, the mountains that flank the Napa Valley are a treasure trove of world-class vineyards, and today’s two sources are brilliant examples. The “Hossfeld” Vineyard, once an overgrown wilderness perched more than 1,500 feet above the valley floor, was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon back in the early 1980s by Susan and Henry Hossfeld. This sustainably farmed site is extremely steep and terraced, with very thin topsoil over volcanic bedrock. Soda Canyon, where Hossfeld is perched, sits between the Stag’s Leap and Atlas Peak AVAs, up above Yountville. Ventrello’s precious Tempranillo, on the other hand, hails from the sandstone-rich “Rancho Chimiles” vineyard. This site was specially planted for Parador with vine cuttings that originated from Ribera del Duero in the ‘90s. This, too, sits at over 1,000 feet in elevation.  

At the winery, the varieties were fermented separately before blending and subsequently aging for 30 months in French barriques and puncheons, 30% new. Our small parcel hasn’t moved from its original place of rest since bottling in the Spring of 2009. In the glass, it reveals an opaque garnet core moving to hazy brick orange reflections on the rim. The aromas are rich, intense, dark, and intoxicating starting with black cherry, dried plums, and ripe currant before moving into dusty herbs, vanilla bean, cedar, sandalwood, and soft baking spice. The palate is sumptuous and finely textured with ripe-to-drying dark berry fruit and savory nuances smeared across a fine-grained tannic backbone. Steve models his wines after Vega Sicilia, so it’s no surprise that today’s is as close as California can get to that legendary label. If you’re enjoying a bottle soon, decant quickly (to rid sediment) and serve in large Bordeaux stems just under 65 degrees. It shows best within the first three hours of being open but I don’t think you’ll have a problem draining your bottle before then. Cheers!