2017 Picayune Cellars Padlock Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

Picayune winemaker Claire Weinkauf’s résumé is as diverse as it is impressive. After a wine degree in Chile and harvests in St.-Émilion, she met 100-point winemaker Paul Hobbs, who hired her at the renowned Viña Cobos in Argentina and his California winery—a distinct and varied expertise that manifests beautifully in the 2017 Padlock.

That expertise, plus the Padlock’s seamless blend of bold Napa fruit and St.-Émilion elegance, has landed it at some of the nation’s most prestigious restaurants, like Gramercy Tavern and The French Laundry where eager sommeliers, in years past, have claimed nearly the entire production (and sold bottles for $90). But Wine Access members’ long-standing Padlock devotion, and our personal relationship with Claire, have earned us a small allocation—this is your chance at Michelin-favorite elegance, straight from Picayune’s cellars. 

Picayune has enthralled Wine Access members (and us) time and time again over the years, earning a total of 157 four- and five-star member reviews and sparking case-buy free-for-alls. Praises rain down with every Padlock vintage we offer, summed up by one member, who said: “I should have bought as many as possible.” 

Claire Weinkauf’s globe-trotting winemaking experience has imbued Padlock with a nimble balance of ripeness and restraint that earned the 2017 an Editors’ Choice selection from Wine Enthusiast. Blackberry pie and baking spices mingle with floral aromas on the nose, beckoning from the glass. It unfurls on the palate flaunting generous dark fruit and graphite with a touch of acidity and silky tannins. 

The name “Padlock” refers to the hush-hush Napa sources of Picayune’s first-rate grapes, which Weinkauf keeps shrouded in secrecy to preserve the wine’s amazing value. With Paul Hobbs, her husband Aron (winemaker at Spottswoode), and a myriad of her own connections, Weinkauf had her pick of premier vineyard sources in 2017. So, she had no problem finding the exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot that make up the 2017 Padlock.

“Before anything, I’m a wine drinker,” Claire told us recently as she explained Picayune’s excellent price-to-quality ratio. “But when I got to California, I was shocked at how expensive good wines were. Picayune was born after too many bottles of really great, expensive wines. I want to drink really well, without declaring bankruptcy.”

Given 15 months to age in French oak, this wine develops the classic structure of the reds that the Bordelaise cherish, kissed by Napa sunshine. Accessible and contemplative at the same time, and at just $30, it’s a seductive wine we find ourselves reaching for again and again, guilt-free. And that’s the intention. “I never drink just one glass of wine,” Claire said. “And Padlock is designed to support that.”

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

• ABV 14.20%
• 30 mins
• Now – 2028
• 38% Cabernet Sauvignon34% Cabernet Franc28% Merlot
• Serving temperature – 62°
• Cork