The PATEL Red Blend 2019 is a blend of half Merlot, and the balance is Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and shades of Petit Verdot. The dark ruby-coloured wine has perfumed notes of black cherry and plums that carry into the flavour with red-fruits like plums, cherries and pomegranates and spicy notes with soft and silky tannins balanced by good acidity that makes the wine vivacious. The finish is long and reveals layers of minerality and herbs. It retails for $75-80 ($75 to the Patel Wine Club members). This would translate into a retail price of around Rs. 35,000- Rs. 40,000 a bottle if imported into India.

‘The wine is all framed by a plethora of soft, silken, plump tannins supported by a firm backbone of mouthwatering acidity. The finish lasts for minutes on end, revealing layers of minerality, savory crushed herbs, and elegant dried red florals,’ says the announcement mail from the company to Arora who has been on the Allocation List for many years. It could also be available to a few Indian wine enthusiasts if they write to info@patelwinery.com

This wine was featured at the June 2023 White House State Dinner honouring the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and has received 93 points fromAntonio Galloni, Vinous.com, an industry acclaimed source for ratings. Only 200 cases were produced of this wine that is priced at $80 per bottle.  One can be rest assured that the remaining 75 cases will be sold out very soon. Onecan also become a member of PATEL Wines that guarantees you access to his limited production wines, and visit to the tasting rooms.

Also Read : PATEL Wine at MODI State Dinner at White House

As a policy to promote the US wines, the White House buys and serves the best representative American wines at the State Dinners and it was exciting to see a Patel wine making the cut this year- a first time for a wine produced by an Indian living in the US. This could make the 55 year-old Raj Patel a famous producer and exporter to India.

Raj Patel attended the prestigious University of California Davis, majoring in Finance. He told me when I met him that he had started studying bio-chemistry but soon realised it was not his cup of tea and changed to Finance. There was an opportunity for him to intern at the lab at Robert Mondavi Winery which changed his course. He started learning about wines and winemaking and also collecting wines that kept his interest in wines alive even when he entered the banking business. He was the vice-president of Bank of America when I met him. He started the Patel Winery in 2007 and produced only 100 cases in the first year in 2009 that won 95 points from Robert Parker for the wine.

I had met Patel in February 2012 at an Auction organized by Napa Valley Vintners (an Association of the Napa producers promoting Napa Valley wine region and conducting an annual auction to support the activities, where I had been invited as a guest.

‘Traditionally in the fall, we release our Coombsville and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and possibly our Malbec and it have been our 2020 vintage wines. Unfortunately, due to the devastating 2020 Glass Fire, we could not produce any 2020 vintage red wines.  Because of this loss, we are featuring our library wines in this year’s fall release’, says Patel.

Also Read : NVV: Indian Duo Sing Wine in Napa Valley

Here is a List of the Library wines:

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coombsville
This inky purple wine is brimming with fruit.  Notes of plum and cherry are balanced with bright acidity and the beautiful tannins linger in a long, luscious finish. 94 Points – Antonio Galloni, $200 per bottle  |  150 cases produced  |  25 cases remaining 

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
Their first vintage release from the Rutherford AVA. This wine is expressive of the vintage and the vineyard. Powerful and elegant, with sweet tannins and hints of mocha. 93 Points – Antonio Galloni, $210 per bottle  |  110 cases produced  |  5 cases remaining 

2013 Malbec, Napa Valley
2013 is the inaugural vintage for the PATEL Napa Valley Malbec.  Sourced from a vineyard that borders South East Yountville and North East Oak Knoll AVA, this wine is evocative of Malbec produced in the Cahors region of Southwest France.  Inky, blue-black in the glass with bluebell floral aromas, this wine delights the palate with layered flavors of deep black cherry and coffee bean.  Lush, polished tannins round out the long finish. 93 Points – Antonio Galloni, $160 per bottle  |  125 cases produced  |  30 cases remaining

Subhash Arora