Paraduxx, Napa Valley (California) 2020

 Paraduxx red blend is dominated by Cabernet Franc, and it reflects the hot, sunny weather that hugged the Napa Valley in 2020.  A blend of Cabernet Franc (58%), Zinfandel (37%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) the wine was aged 18 months in French oak barrels.  The grapes come from Duckhorn’s Rector Creek Vineyard which surrounds the Paraduxx Winery.   For me, the 14.5% alcohol level dominated flavor profile so much that the big, rich wine was not so much a sipping wine as a beverage designed to serve as an excellent accompaniment to seriously bold food — a big pot of spiced black beans might do the trick, or possibly a steak au poivre.