2015 Purlieu Le Pich Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

After stints at Lafite-Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte, winemaker Julien Fayard moved to Napa in 2006 to work alongside Philippe Melka at Quintessa before striking out on his own to craft his masterful Purlieu and Le Pich Cabernets.

The 2015 Le Pich, from the latest in a line of excellent Napa vintages, was sourced from many of the same stellar sites as Purlieu’s single-vineyard masterpieces. With pliable tannins, an expressive finish, and notes of mocha and graphite, it’s no wonder Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called it “soft, supple, open and singing.” 

Antonio Galloni calls the 2015 Napa vintage “thrilling at the top,” and that is exactly where Julien Fayard dwells. Fayard has made massive headlines and attracted prominent followers with his Purlieu Cabernets: Robert Parker himself raved of Fayard’s current release Purlieu Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet saying it “just has it all. It is really a wine to diagram and analyze over and over to see what true perfection really is.”

In Fayard’s work, the lessons of Lafite rule: attention to detail and restraint in the cellar. His years in Napa, working with Melka on projects like Gemstone, Dalla Valle, and Lail, have provided Fayard with the understanding of the Valley’s vineyards and relationships with top growers that make confident restraint possible. These relationships allow Fayard to source top-flight fruit for Purlieu from sites like Pritchard Hill and To Kalon.

The result here is another masterpiece—a joy to drink now and over the next decade, if you’re quicker than the Fayard fans today.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 15.20%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2030
• % Cabernet Sauvignon
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork