Winemaker Notes
The brilliant, dark ruby red 2021 Au Paradis entices with a beguiling mix of dried rose petals, lilacs, violets, black currant, dark cherry, black plum, and raspberry. The silky entry leads to a burst of extremely fine-grained tannins and a broad, concentrated mid-palate melts into a harmonious, lengthy finish. The well-structured 2021 exhibits beautiful harmony, depth, and powerful elegance. This is a wine that promises to age gracefully for over twenty years.
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is a saturated purple hue and is classic and inviting with lush aromatics of menthol, cassis, dark stones, and warming spice. An exceptional vintage of this wine, it’s long and balanced, with all its components harmonious throughout. It has a plush, velvety texture, even acidity, and fantastic length. As it unfolds, it boasts layers of mocha, leather, and earth, it’s all put together fantastically, and while it’s unquestionably decadent, it’s not sappy or overbearing.
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James Suckling
A rich and flavorful red with lots of blackberries, dark chocolate, iodine, orange peel, lemon zest, green tobacco and pine needles, Medium-bodied. Tannins are open and then turn fine and polished. Lovely length and consistency. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 3% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is blended with 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot, and its aromas unfold over several minutes in the glass. Blueberry liqueur and a well of cassis give way to bresaola, grilled meats, bitter chocolate, leather, thyme and sage before a singular crescendo of pure violet perfume. The palate offers a seamless structure defined by smooth, velvety tannins and freshness that highlights its floral top notes; highly concentrated, detailed fruit; herbal, savory and mineral flavors; and fantastic length. Its ripeness is expertly restrained, and this world-class Cabernet, poised for a slow arc of maturation, is a great candidate for the cellar.
Rating: 98+ -
Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is sublime. Soaring aromatics meld into a core of dark red/purplish fruit in a Cabernet that captures the magic—all the essence—of this plateau in the eastern hillsides of Oakville. Cabernet Sauvignon (88%) is quite high in the blend this year, but what impresses most is the wine's dazzling balance and pedigree. What a knockout. This is one of the finest wines I have tasted from Peter Michael.
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Wine Spectator
An overtly lush, flattering style, with creamed plum and blackberry fruit flavors wrapped in notes of mocha and Christmas pudding. Alder and tobacco accents chime in on the finish, which shows more toast than purity. Drink now through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.