Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2011 Front Label
Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2011 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

The 2011 Paramour offers exquisite aromas of blackberry, blueberry and tobacco. This authentic expression of Cabernet Franc showcases textured layers of chocolate and nutmeg, combined with fine-grained tannin and cedar overlay. The supple finish is round and balanced, providing persistent length of flavor. Paramour will continue to develop with time in the bottle for the next decade or more.

Professional Ratings

  • 93
    The blend is mainly Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is as succulent and delicious as anything out there, soft and sensual, with intricate black cherry, cola, violet, cocoa and cedar flavors. You can call it Right Bank in that respect. Wonderful to drink now, it will age well for the next 12–15 years.
Blackbird Vineyards

Blackbird Vineyards

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Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.

Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.

HNYBLBPAR11C_2011 Item# 132216