Wine Time – Blankiet Estate

Many moons ago I was at a wine tasting event in Yountville and stumbled upon a sip of the ’08 vintage of some grape juice from a gem called Blankiet Estate.  Needless to say, it was stunning wine and my taste buds were smitten.

And now for trivia time…

Hop into that way-back machine…  Do you remember stonewashed jeans?

If I may introduce Claude Blankiet.  Claude’s family in France was involved in textiles for several generations, and sure enough, Claude brought the stonewash technology to the United States…

Fast forward to 1996.  With an eye toward wine, Claude and wife Katherine end up with a prime piece of land in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, just to the west of Yountville.  The Paradise Hills Estate vineyard was developed with the help of famed vineyard manager David Abreu and another big name, winemaker Helen Turley.  Divvied up into four sections, each with unique soil and microclimate properties, the estate was planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

So far so good…

The Blankiet’s vision had come to fruition, and the proof was in the pudding… er… wine..!

Now under the care of winemaker Graeme MacDonald with George Avina managing the vineyard, Blankiet Estate continues along its path of growing great grapes, following meticulous winemaking processes and turning out world class wines.  The current portfolio consists of the Estate Proprietary Red, a Cab-based Bordeaux blend, the Estate Rive Droite, a “right bank” Merlot-based blend, the newly added Mythicus 100% Cabernet, the Prince of Hearts Red, another Cab blend, and finally the Prince of Hearts Rosé, which is spectacular in its own right.

A visit to this estate is an experience certainly worthwhile.  Not just for the excellent wines, but the spectacular grounds aren’t too shabby either.  Well-versed in all things wine and Blankiet, host Patrick Walters will ease you through a tour of the vineyards, the wine making facility and finally the tasting.  The entire experience is topped off by the tasting room itself.  Unlike few I’ve experienced, the room is part of a marvel of architecture otherwise known as the Blankiet residence.  All summed, this is truly a “must” for a wine tasting experience…

Cheers…!