Pazzo Italiano Destin (FL) and BYOB Wines
We dined with friends/neighbors Richard and Victoria at Pazzo Italiano Ristorante & Bar, a short distance from our vacation rental. Pazzo’s have become one of our go-to dinesites that we frequent when in town, as I wrote during two recent dinners there, as featured in these blogposts:
Pazzo Italian dining in Destin
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2026/10/pazzo-italian-dining-in-destin.html
Tenuta Luce BYOB at Pazzo’s Destin
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2026/10/tenuta-luce-byob-at-pazzos-destin.html
For our dinner entrees I selected the Veal Saltimbocca, a dish I enjoyed on a previous visit.
Linda had Daily Special Feature, Branzino.
Victoria had a special request prepared Veal Milanese and Richard had the Veal Parmigiana.
Richard and I both brought BYOB from our home cellars two vintage release labels, Richard a French St Julien, Bordeaux, and me a limited production Napa Valley Cabernet. .
Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Bordeaux 2006
Linda and I visited and toured the historic Château Branaire-Ducru estate during our trip to the St Julien Appellation (AOC) in Bordeaux back in 2019, featured in this blogpost - excerpted below - A visit to Château Branaire-Ducru.
Château Branaire-Ducru was originally part of the greater estate that comprised Chateau Beychevelle and adjacent Ducru Beaucaillou. It became a separate vineyard from the Beychevelle estate after the death of Bernard de la Valette, Duke of Epernon, in the mid 17th century, when his assets were turned over to the French Crown to pay off his debts.
In 1680, Jean-Baptiste Braneyre bought the property. His descendant, Marie Braneyre married Pierre Du Luc, and the property becomes known as Branaire Duluc.
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| Historic Chateau Branaire Ducru |
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| Branaire-Ducru orangerie |
The first winery was established in a small house that Marie de Chillaud, granddaughter of Marie and Pierre Braneyre, bought in Bourdieu. The oldest parts of the building date back to 1730.
Marie de Chillaud’s children of the Duluc family had the current Château built around 1824. It consisted of a country manor house and an orangerie. The chateau was expanded further in 1836. The estate was eventually sold to a relative, Gustave Ducru.
In 1855 it was classified as a fourth growth under the name Branaire Duluc. Ducru, a distant relative of the Duluc family, added his name to the brand and label, and it becomes Château Branaire-Ducru which has remained to this day.
In 1919, Branaire was taken over by Jean-Michel Tapie who held the property until the Tari-Tapie family sold out to Patrick Maroteaux in 1988.
Patrick Maroteaux bought Branaire Ducru in 1988 from the Tapie family who owned Chateau Branaire Ducru since 1919. Patrick Maroteaux served as the President of the UGCB, Union of Grand Crus Bordeaux, and as the President of the Saint Julien appellation.
Patrick’s son, François Xavier Maroteaux followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the full-time responsibilities of managing the property after his passing in 2017. We’ve met François Maroteaux (shown above from the 2017 tour) several times over the years at the annual UGCB Annual Release Tour Tastings in Chicago.
Branaire-Ducru has nearly 150 acres of vineyards planted with the St Julien appellation sanctioned varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (3%).
The vineyards of Branaire Ducru are composed of the legendary gravelly soil of the St Julien appellation. Although the estate is located on the southern border of the appellation, across from Château Beychevelle, several of the the vineyards are spread across the Saint-Julien appellation.
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| Branaire Ducru vineyards gravelly soil - St Julien Beychevelle village in distance |
The average age of the vineyard is 35 years and they are harvested by hand.
The grand vin Château Branaire Ducru averages about 15,000 cases per year. The estate also produces about 7,000 cases of its second wine, Duluc de Branaire-Ducru.
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| Historic Chateau Branaire Ducru |
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| Branaire-Ducru orangerie |
We met Patrick’s son, François Xavier Maroteaux (shown above from the 2017 tour) several times at the UGCB Annual Release Tour Tastings in Chicago. He followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the full-time responsibilities of managing the property after his passing in 2017.
The French family group lead by chairman Patrick Maroteaux has invested heavily in upgrading and renovating the estate. They have planted new vineyards, built a new cuvier and ultra-modern chai and upgraded the technical operations.
Branaire-Ducru has nearly 150 acres of vineyards planted with the St Julien appellation sanctioned varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (3%).
The vineyards of Branaire Ducru are composed of the legendary gravelly soil of the St Julien appellation. Although the estate is located on the southern border of the appellation, across from Château Beychevelle, several of the the vineyards are spread across the Saint-Julien appellation.
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| Branaire Ducru vineyards gravelly soil - St Julien Beychevelle village in distance |
The average age of the vineyard is 35 years and they are harvested by hand.
The grand vin Château Branaire Ducru averages about 15,000 cases per year. The estate also produces about 7,000 cases of its second wine, Duluc de Branaire-Ducru.
Branaire-Ducru and Duluc de Branaire-Ducru wines are characteristically complex and have long ageing potential. They are best consumed five to eight years after release but can often age for several decades depending on the vintage. Every effort is made to bring out the purity of the fruit and reflect the terrior of the vineyards.
Branaire-Ducru typifies classic St Julien terroir characteristics - nicely structured, elegantly balanced - bright vibrant fruits accented by notes of cassis, mocha, minerals and floral with approachable tannins on a lingering finish.
Château Branaire Ducru 2006
This release was rated 92 points and *Editors' Choice* by Wine Enthusiast, 91 points by Vinous, and 90 points by Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
Winemaker Notes - “Very rich bouquet that still remains quite closed - ripe, but fresh fruit, mineral hints, notes of cedar and subtle spice. Attractive structure on the palate that is powerful and elegant at the same time, and perfectly classical. This wine has a long future before it. Wait another 4 to 5 years before opening. “
This wine begged for pairing with food and was a nice complement to the zesty red and brown sauces with the pastas.
Dark ruby/purple color, medium to full-bodied, complex ripe blackberry, black currant and black plum fruits with notes of licorice, creosote, leather, dark chocolate, graphite and hints of menthol and cedar with gripping moderate tannins on the long finish.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/w?1496913
We then opened this Napa Cabernet.
Marco di Giulio Napa Valley Progeny Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Marco di Giulio Napa Valley Progeny Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
The first from a limited release series of Napa Valley mountain Cabernets from Marco DiGiulio who was/is a consulting winemaker to many leading producers and growers around Napa Valley.
Marco DiGiulio’s family immigrated from the Tuscany region of Italy to the Italian community of North Beach in San Francisco where his parents establish a restaurant. Growing up immersed in good food and wine, Marco earned his degree in Fermentation Science from UC Davis.
After graduation he work with numerous Napa and Sonoma wineries including Buena Vista, Pine Ridge, Atlas Peak and Pepi Winery. He became winemaker at esteemed Lokoya producing high end Cabernet Sauvignon. Building a reputation for making world class Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, he worked as consulting winemaker for a number of high end boutique producers in the Napa area.
In 1995 Marco DiGiulio was the first winemaker at ultra-premium Lokoya, a Jess Jackson winery in Napa Valley. In 1999 Marco left to set up his winery, a custom crush winery south of Napa where numerous small boutique labels were produced. He served as consulting winemaker for several leading labels and started producing his own wine in 2001, often with grapes sourced from select clients’ vineyards from which he produces his own private label wines. After more than 25 Napa Valley harvests, his wines were produced in very small quantities of 200 to 300 cases.
He started his own label in 2001 sourcing premium fruit from vineyards on Mt. Veeder and Diamond Mountain producing single vineyard designated premium mountain grown Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
One of those labels were from the Mt Veeder Pym-Rae vineyard, the same vineyard as the Robert Craig Mt Veeder label. The vineyard was long owned by Actor Commedian Robin Williams and was name for Robins two children. After Robin’s passing the estate was sold and is now owned by French wine producer Tesseron.
We obtained a series of these extremely limited production wines at auction and still have a half dozen bottles of three different labels over several vintages.
I featured Marco Digulio wines in more detail in earlier blogposts in these pages - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/06/marco-di-guilio-pym-rae-vineyard-mt.html.
Here are some other blogposts of another Marco DiGuilio label release - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/04/marco-diguilio-diamond-mtn-cabernet.html,
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/12/close-out-2020-with-diamond-mtn.html.
We visited the Napa Valley Mt Veeder appellation and toured several estates and vineyards during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2011. It is the largest and most diverse of the seventeen appellations (AVA’s - American Viticulture Areas) that are situated in Napa Valley and Napa County.
Of the numerous Marco DiGuilio labels we hold, and have tasted, this is our first tasting of this particular vintage release of this specific label. We’ve tasted other vintage releases of this label - one of which is featured here - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/11/duo-napa-cabs-del-dotto-diguilio.html.
This inaugural release label is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the high elevation dry farmed and low yielding Progeny Vineyard, belonging to Betty O’Shaughnessy, high up Mount Veeder, close to the Lokoya vineyards.
After gently pressing in small stainless steel fermenters with a total maceration of about 30-35 days, the wine was transferred into brand new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation during 20-24 months.
Winemaker's Notes: "This wine is all about power. From its inky deep purple color to its broad shouldered tannins, this is a big wine. On the nose, the first impression is one of blackberry and blueberry fruit with an underlying biscuity note from the oak. Think berry cobbler in a glass. On the palate, the wine is mouthfilling and explodes with fruit. The tannins, while quite evident, are well tamed and there's enough fruit richness to balance them out. The finish is long and complex, with more black fruit and spice. As for ultimate aging potential, with proper cellaring, I would guess 15 to 20 years wouldn't be too much of a stretch."
We last tasted this three years ago and tonight this showed better than that earlier bottle, perhaps due to bottle variation or storage. At that time I wrote, Dark ruby/garnet colored, a very slight tinge of brownish rust hue is starting to appear on the rim, still within approachable drinking window, but undoubtably will continue to diminish further here forward so best to consume in the next year or so …. medium-full bodied, the complex full round brambly black berry fruits are accented by notes of earthy leather, cinnamon and herbal spices and tobacco box, perhaps akin to what the winemaker referred to as ‘biscuity notes’, with a lingering moderate tannin laced finish,
Then I gave it RM 91 points.
Tonight, at twenty-five years, the fill level, label, foil and cork were in perfect pristine condition.
This was an ideal pairing with the brown sauce of my veal and pasta.
This wine deep, dark inky purple colored, full bodied with intense complex dense concentrated blackberry and black cherry fruits with bright vibrant notes of black olive tapenade, cassis, graphite pencil lead, fresh earth, leather, well-integrated spice and cedary oak with an expressive lively long finish.
RM 93 points.
http://cellartracker.com/w?42933
We then came back to our place for desserts and artisan cheeses with a French Sauterne dessert wine, left over from our Wine and Small Bites Destin neighborhood gathering.
The Cheese flight …
With the dessert course we also served chocolate tuxedo cake and a pumpkin spice cake. For pairing with the cakes we opened this classic Sauterne Bordeaux dessert wine.
Château Misselle Sauterne 2022
This is a classic Sauterne dessert wine with sweet thick unctuous apricot and peach fruits. It is not a bona-fide Ice Wine per se. This prompted a discussion about Dessert Wine vs Ice Wine and I talked about what I wrote about, Ice Wines, in a recent blogpost from our Pour Boys wine group dinner last week - Pour Boys Wine Dinner features magnificent wines.
This is from the Sauterne appellation in the southern Bordeaux region, outside the town of Bordeaux. As is customary for Sauterne dessert wines, this is a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grape varietals.
This was golden-yellow colored, full bodied, thick unctuous sweet nectar of apricots and quinces with notes of honey, peach and hints of citrus and spice.
RM 91 points.
https://www.pazzodestin.com/
