Blankiet Paradise Hills Vineyard Rive Droite 2012
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Another compelling wine was the 2012 Rive Droite, which is Blankiet’s homage to Right Bank Pomerols from Bordeaux. A blend of 95.8% Merlot and 4.2% Cabernet Franc, there are 380 cases of this sexpot of a wine. This could easily be mistaken for a Napa Valley version of Petrus. Loads of mulberry fruit, licorice, crème de cassis, mocha and toffee are present in this huge, full-bodied, super-opulent and luscious wine. This is about as seductive and rich as dry wine can be, and the wine can be drunk now or cellared for another 15-20 years. This is a killer effort! Their cuvée of all the culled out lots is called the Prince of Hearts.
Robert Parker validated the potential of Blankiet's terroir stating that the wines produced "combines the extraordinary power of the site with unbelievable elegance and definition." Future plans for the vineyard include planting of additional Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Petit Verdot.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.