2009 Paraduxx (Duckhorn) Howell Mountain Red

Paraduxx is part of the Duckhorn Wine Company, which owns 13 estates in Napa and Anderson Valleys. Like the Duckhorn, Goldeneye, Migration, Decoy and Canvas Back estates, Paraduxx is partly owned by a private equity firm, though founder Dan Duckhorn remains chairman of the board of Duckhorn Wine Company. Paraduxx opened its new winemaking facility in 2005 on the Silverado Trail, though Duckhorn had been making Paraduxx label wines since the 1990s. Paraduxx was started in order to create blends outside of Duckhorn’s traditional focus on Bordeaux style wines. Since then Paraduxx has made a wide variety of blends using Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Chardonnay.

Howell Mountain AVA in Northeastern Napa Valley was the first of Napa Valley’s sub-appellations, earning its own designation in 1984, just a year after Napa Valley became an appellation. As the name suggests, the AVA is in one of the highest elevations in the area. Every vineyard in the appellation is at least 1,400 feet above sea level. Some vineyards are as high as 2,200 feet and because of their altitude most of the AVA’s vineyards receive more sun than vineyards at lower elevations, which are affected by fog from the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay. Howell Mountain was home to vineyards in the late 19th century, but winemaker Randy Dunn is considered the area’s most influential modern pioneer. Dunn moved to Howell Mountain in 1979, acquired property and began making exceptionally rich Cabernet Sauvignon. The AVA also grows Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. There are 600 vineyard acres within Howell Mountain AVA.