2019 Picayune Cellars Padlock Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley 750 ml

Years ago, we had to fight off the likes of Gramercy Tavern and The French Laundry for our first tiny allocation of Picayune’s Padlock red. Ever since, we’ve had to muscle out others for bigger and bigger allocations—which can never quite keep up with the Picayune fan base!

Every time we’ve offered Padlock, it’s sold out promptly. In addition to the rave reviews—like “Wonderful wine! Enjoyed by all!” and “I should have bought as many as possible”—we fielded tons of emails asking when it would be coming back. Well, it’s now here!   

This is one of the most outstanding under-$40 Napa reds you’ll find. An affordable Cabernet-dominant sensation, it has graced the lists at MICHELIN-starred temples of gastronomy like PRESS in St. Helena. 

Padlock’s quality-to-price ratio is thanks to vintner Claire Weinkauf, whose résumé is as diverse as it is impressive. After earning a wine degree in Chile and working harvests in Saint-Émilion, she met 100-point winemaker Paul Hobbs, who hired her at the renowned Viña Cobos in Argentina and at his eponymous California winery. 

With Picayune, she called on her formidable network to secure some of the most coveted grapes in Napa for this bold red blend. In fact, the name “Padlock” refers to the hush-hush sources of Picayune’s first-rate grapes, which Weinkauf keeps shrouded in secrecy to preserve the wine’s impressive value.  

Aged 15 months in French oak, this wine is kissed by Napa sunshine but structured like a Bordelaise red. It’s both accessible and contemplative—a seductive bottle we find ourselves reaching for again and again without a second thought.