Parador Tempranillo Napa Valley 2013

Well this is really something. A 95 point wine from Stagecoach for under $30? Something must be wrong here, right? Nope. Our friend and renaissance man Steve Ventrello, when not importing fine wines and provisions or shredding on the accordion, he is quietly making some of the most exciting wines in Napa Valley.

Sourced from a special block that Jan Krupp planted for Steve from Tempranillo cuttings rumored to be from Vega Sicilia, this is 100% Tempranillo from the highly acclaimed Stagecoach vineyard. Parador's model is based on the wines of Vega and Pesquera with extremely long aging, both in barrel and in bottle. The near perfect 2013 vintage is another reason you should be buying this with reckless abandon, one of the finest vintages in Napa this century. We just love the complexity and nuance in this wine, there is no other domestic Tempranillo that so well channels the wines of the Ribera del Duero. Dark berries, dried tobacco, crushed volcanic rocks and fine tannins are all on display here.