Winemaker Notes
An inky, dark garnet sits in the glass with bursting aromatics even from afar—ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of Kirsch, Madagascar vanilla and cigar box. Velvety and rich on entry and through the mid, the wine offers flavors of dark plum, blueberry and notes of fennel, fresh leather and a subtle minerality. Plush, layered and dense, the wine finishes with dusty tannins and a lingering touch of black cherry.
About the Label
The label features the beautiful juxtaposition of a gorgeous word, 'butterfly', cast against the harsh and gritty hands of a friend and fellow winemaker. The label is as memorable as the wine itself.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Papillon Proprietary Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged for 15 months in 45% new French oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and features exuberant black and red plums, cassis and boysenberry scents with touches of pencil shavings, mossy bark and cast iron pan. Medium to full-bodied, firm and finely grained, it has a seamless structure supporting the elegantly played fruit, finishing on a lingering menthol note.
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.