Parallel Wines
Black Diamond Reserve Prima
Napa Valley
2019
Vintage
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV
Where it is, July 2026
Approaching Peak: drinkable, but best years are ahead.
Cellared places Parallel Black Diamond Reserve Prima 2019 in a practical drinking window from 2024 through 2041, with the most likely peak from 2029 through 2041. Parallel describes it as approachable now yet structured for long aging, with cassis, dark plum, tobacco, graphite and fine tannin. Storage condition and bottle format can shift the timing, so taste one bottle before committing the rest to a longer hold. This is Cellared guidance, not a guarantee.
The ‘19 Black Diamond Reserve Prima.
Parallel Wines Black Diamond Reserve Prima 2019 from Napa Valley, USA.
Drinking window
As Cellared editorial guidance: this drinking window is a calculated cellar recommendation, not a claim about the bottle's documented facts.
Tasting note
Parallel's winemaker describes the 2019 Prima opening with cigar box, violets, crème de cassis, dark plums and French oak spice. The full-bodied palate layers graphite, forest floor and a hint of sweetness. The producer page also records a rich, earthy Cabernet with cassis, licorice, truffly earth, chocolate and tobacco, supported by ripe tannins, lively acidity and a long finish. Its structure is already approachable with air while retaining the concentration and balance for extended cellaring. The producer also records a long, chocolatey finish, with smoky wood and chewy tannin that should integrate with time.
The 2019 vintage
The exact producer page identifies 2019 Parallel Black Diamond Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Prima. It lists a Napa Valley appellation, harvest on October 17-18, 2019, pH 3.85, 15.3% alcohol, fermentation in stainless steel after an average three-day cold soak and 24 days on skins, approximately 26 months in French oak with about 80% new oak, and bottling on February 1, 2022.
About Parallel Wines
Parallel Wines makes a small Napa Valley Cabernet program with Black Diamond Reserve marking the best barrels of the vintage. The producer identifies Prima as the 2019 name for this reserve, with a largely Rutherford profile, Philippe Melka winemaking, concentrated cassis fruit, layered earth and polished but firm tannin.
From the cellar: pair with
Bone-in ribeye with rosemary butter
Rich beef meets the wine's full body and cassis, while rosemary echoes its herbal and forest-floor detail.
Braised short ribs with truffle polenta
Slow-cooked texture can absorb the Cabernet's structure, and truffle mirrors its earthy, graphite and tobacco notes.
Aged Comté with quince paste
Firm, nutty cheese complements the wine's oak spice and tannin, while quince lifts its dark fruit profile.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- Cellared guidance: serve around 60-65F (16-18C), slightly below room temperature, so the cassis, graphite and savory oak stay precise.
- Decanting
- Cellared guidance: open 45-60 minutes ahead, taste, and extend the air time if the tannin and oak remain tightly wound.
- Cellar Storage
- Cellared guidance: keep the bottle dark and stable around 55F (13C), away from vibration, heat swings and direct light.
More from Napa Valley
Frequently Asked
What is Parallel Black Diamond Reserve Prima 2019?
It is Parallel Wines' 2019 Black Diamond Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, named Prima for that vintage. The producer describes a full-bodied, concentrated Cabernet with cassis, dark plum, graphite, forest floor, tobacco and French oak spice. The wine is approachable with air but has the structure and balance for long cellaring.
What does the 2019 Prima taste like?
The producer's winemaker notes cigar box, violets, crème de cassis, dark plums and French oak spice, followed by a full-bodied palate of graphite, forest floor and a subtle sweetness. Additional producer notes describe licorice, truffly earth, chocolate, tobacco, ripe tannins, lively acidity and a long, layered finish.
When should I open it?
Cellared places Prima 2019 in a practical window from 2024 through 2041, with the most likely peak from 2029 through 2041. Parallel says the wine is enjoyable now, while other tasting notes point to at least another decade of development. Decant a young bottle and let storage condition, format and your preference for primary fruit or tertiary earth guide the final call.
How should I serve it and what food works?
Serve around 60-65F (16-18C), open 45-60 minutes ahead, and taste before adding more air. Bone-in ribeye with rosemary butter, braised short ribs with truffle polenta, or aged Comté with quince paste can match the wine's cassis, firm tannin, graphite, tobacco, oak spice and earthy length.