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Detailed Description
The 2019 ‘Au Paradis’ appears near-black to ruby in color with perfumed aromas of red rose and distinct black currant and cassis. Equally, the flavor delivers dark fruit reminiscent of plum and crème de cassis aside bright and savory notes of raspberry, rose petal, and graphite. Well-rounded on the palate, showing refinement with complexity and the hallmark aromas and flavors characteristic of the acclaimed iron-rich, red dirt soils of Oakville.
Reviews:
Jeb Dunnuck: Hailing from Oakville, the 2019 Au Paradis is nuanced, with ripe redcurrant, fresh tobacco, and sweet baking spice. The palate is fully dry and has lift through its dark fruited profile. The midpalate is flush with roses and ripe red plum, giving way to a well-balanced, tannic structure.
Vinous: The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is elite. Bright and aromatic, with terrific delineation, the 2019 is a fabulous yet embryonic wine that just needs time to flesh out. The energy and drive here are remarkable, as is the expression of this vineyard in the Eastern Hills of Oakville. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, sage, mint and rose petal lend quite a bit of nuance. In a vintage in which so many wines are all about immediacy and overtness, Au Paradis is a wine for the future.
Producer Information
Peter Michael Winery is a highly regarded wine producer located in northern California, on the border of Napa and Sonoma counties in the Knights Valley AVA. The winery produces a number of single-vineyard wines including Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blends, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc – Semillon blends. The winery was established by Peter Michael and his wife Margaret in 1982. Michael’s background was in technology and had founded the digital picture company Quantel in the UK in the early 1970s. He arrived in California in the early days of the Silicon Valley tech boom and soon invested in a winery. The winery released its first vintage in 1987 and has since enjoyed a high level of critical acclaim. Three of Michael’s wines have ranked in the top 10 of Wine Spectator’s Top 100, and since the 1995 vintage, 14 wines have been rated 98 points or higher by US wine critic Robert Parker. Peter Michael’s property in the Knights Valley AVA is at a much higher altitude than many others in the area, with vineyards reaching as high as 2000 feet (610m) above sea level. The result is cooler growing temperatures, which allows for wines in the more restrained old world style. In 2006, Peter Michael began planting a vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview AVA in Sonoma County. In 2009 added an Oakville AVA vineyard in Napa Valley. Peter Michael Winery remains a family-owned estate that is now run by Peter’s son Paul and wife Emily (the inspiration for the Belle-Fille Chardonnay label and vineyard). Only a small number of cases reach the retail market as the majority are set aside for the mailing list and long-term restaurant clientele.
