2017 | Blankiet | Rive Droite

True Bordeaux Right Bank wine. Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc. This wine is gorgeously fruit forward with a core of minerality.

Reviews:

• James Suckling: The Merlot-dominated 2017 Merlot Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard (there's 4% Cabernet Franc in the blend) is also straight-up brilliant, showing tons of ripe black cherry, chocolate, coffee bean, and truffly herb aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and powerful, it has the same elegant tannin structure found in the Proprietary Red, nicely integrated acidity, terrific purity, and a great finish. It's not for those looking for massive richness and decadence, but it has a purity, elegance, and minerality that makes it a joy to drink.

• Vinous: The 2017 Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard is dense, plush and super-expressive; the juiciness of Merlot comes through nicely here. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice, menthol and gravel are front and center. A dollop of Cabernet Franc adds lovely savoriness and aromatic nuance. This is such a pretty and layered wine with tons of near- and medium-term appeal. Overall, the 2017 is a bit smaller-scaled in build than normal, but it is a big success for a vintage that was especially challenging for Merlot.

Producer Information

Blankiet Estate is a wine producer established in 1996 in the Napa Valley, California. The estate vineyard, Paradise Hills, overlooks Yountville at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, and is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The vineyard is perched on a steep slope above Dominus Estate's famous Napanook vineyard. The Paradise Hills is split into four parcels, each section distinguishable by its soils and climate. The vineyards face east, and have significant diurnal temperature variation that helps the grapes reach full phenolic ripeness while retaining acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in the parts of the vineyard that have porous volcanic soils, whereas Merlot is planted in soils of deep alluvial clay. Blankiet Estate employs viticulturist David Abreu and winemaker Helen Turley, who worked together to develop the vineyard, sourcing rootstocks, and grafting them with clones from first growth estates in Bordeaux. Harvest takes place as the parcels ripen, and everything is done by hand, from harvest, to inspection and sorting. The Grapes are cold macerated for a week before the fruit is warmed to kick-start alcoholic fermentation. The wines are regularly pumped-over during ferment and, once this is complete, the wine is transferred to new French oak barrels in a warm cellar for malolactic fermentation. After this period, the barrels are transferred to colder areas of the winery building for a two-year maturation period, before being bottled without filtration or fining.

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