Napa Valley
$78 (Wine Club Reorder Price: $70)
Peter Paul produces less than 2,000 cases annually and is only sold in a handful of states, remaining one of the industry’s hard-to-find wineries. Peter Paul Wines showcase the sunny temperament of fruit grown along the California North Coast while offering the proper balance of fruit, savor, and structure that hits a sweet spot of ripeness. These wines are known for delivering density, richness, and joy.
Try not to ask yourself “Where’s Mary?” when you open up this Napa Cabernet Blend. Mr. Peter Paul, while unrelated to the 1960s folk band, is a generous philanthropist responsible for founding this small production wine label. In addition to owning the wine label, Peter launched the Headlands Foundation in 1995 to improve the standard of life for underprivileged children and their families in the Bay Area. He is a longtime supporter of many Bay Area nonprofits, including Food Bank of Marin, Marin Abused Women’s Services, St. Vincent’s School for Boys, and Meals on Wheels to name a few.
Martin Reyes wears many hats – one being the winemaker for Peter Paul and another being a Master of Wine. Not to be confused with Master Sommelier, the top restaurant- based (and better-known in the USA) credential, a Master of Wine holds the most respected title in the world for the production, business, and handling of wine. Martin started with Peter Paul in 2016, and his first 2016 vintage of Napa Cabernet was rated “Top 100 under $100” in Wine & Spirits magazine – not a bad start! Today, Martin is a leader in climate change and its effects on California wine, the first MW of Mexican descent, and a founder of Wine Unify which supports diversity in the wine industry.
“This blend is 58% cabernet sauvignon with 35% cabernet franc and the balance petit verdot and merlot, made by Martin Reyes MW, from sources in mostly Rutherford and St. Helena. It has Rutherford dusty aromatics of cedar and tobacco leaf, an olive skin savor offsetting black and red fruits, flavors generous with oak, balanced by notes of leather and black cherry. Joyous in its approachability and casual power.” – 95 Points, Wine & Spirits Magazine
Amy Ryan – September 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 