2013 PERE Tasting NotesPere exhibits a deep, dark red color with a garnet hue

This wine's explosive nose is packed with blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, integrated toasty oak and earthy, spicy notes.

Balanced and concentrated on the palate, this full bodied wine has flavors of fresh fruit, cigar box, graphite and dark chocolate. The sturdy tannin structure forms a great anchor that extends the long finish.

Vintage

Napa Valley Vintners characterized the 2013 growing conditions in Napa Valley as “early, even and excellent”; that description certainly held true for the Atlas Peak region. Drought conditions continued to prevail, with moderate to light rains throughout the vineyards’ dormant period.

Our spring was warm and dry, by comparative standards; and moderate temperatures were the rule during the majority of the growing season. We experienced one week of extended heat spike from late June to early July; a quick reversion to the moderate norm enabled extended maturation and ideal balance of sugars and acids.

Temperatures largely remained in the optimal zone through harvest. The one short rain event in September had no impact on fruit quality nor hang time.

Our Cabernet was harvested on October 22, 2013. Our Merlot was harvested on October 8, 2013.

Winemaking

Consistent with our small lot production, our wines are carefully fermented in macro-bins, for 8-10 days, to optimize color extraction and preserve the unique characteristics of our Lagniappe Peak terroir. Malolactic conversion finished in the barrels. The wines are racked three times to separate them from the lees and provide aeration. Our wines are aged in 100% new French oak; and bottled (July 22, 2015) following 19 months of barrel aging.77% Cabernet Sauvignon; 23% Merlot14.2% Alcohol

Food Pairings

With the characteristics that we are seeing in the wine currently, we believe Pere will, classically, pair well with a wide array of meat dishes; beef in particular. As it develops greater complexity and finesse over the next 15 years, we expect that it will complement a wide range of foods. For informal occasions we enjoy grilling a whole tri-tip with corn on the cob, garlic bread and a spicy pot of Rancho Gordo beans. Similarly, for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, it will also complement a traditional French dish of lentils and sausages.

For your next dinner party try Pere with a hearty braised dish, such as beef short ribs and polenta, or lamb shanks and couscous.

For holidays we think this will pair spectacularly well with a whole roasted filet mignon; which we accompany with a Caesar salad and a gratin of thinly sliced potatoes and any blue veined cheese. We also find that Cabernet matches nicely with a wide range of hearty meats, such as grilled buffalo or venison and braised wild boar.

Cabernet Sauvignon also pairs well with a wide range of poultry, such as turkey, pheasant or the holiday goose.