2002 Blankiet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Vineyard
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This beautiful hillside vineyard is situated behind the Dominus Estate in Yountville. The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) has turned out even better than I predicted seven years ago. Made by Helen Turley when she was the consultant at Blankiet from tightly spaced, steep hillside vineyards planted by her husband, John Wetlaufer, it exhibits a beautiful nose of flowers, high quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, creme de cassis, chocolate, espresso and blueberries. Extraordinarily young, fresh and fabulously concentrated, this wine still impresses with its intensity, complexity and youthfulness. It will probably not peak in quality for a decade, and has 20-30 years of further aging potential. Tel. (707) 963-2002; Fax (707) 963-2012
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Saturated medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, blueberry, mocha, bitter chocolate and tobacco, plus an exotic suggestion of citric high tones. Compellingly rich and sappy, with vibrant black and red fruit flavors. Best of all on the back end, which features very suave tannins and superb building length. This was a knockout a year ago and is every bit as promising today.
Deep, bright ruby. Superb, sappy aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, mulberry, violet, licorice and maple syrup; like a Pauillac on steroids. Lush, sweet and suave but with excellent inner-palate energy. Superb, late-arriving noble tannins saturate the teeth and tongue. A compellingly sweet, extremely long wine that may offer even better mouth coverage than the '01.
The 2002 Blankiet Estate is soft and pretty, but also quite resolved in both its tannic structure and overall feel. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, mint, cedar and dried flowers all grace this soft, open-knit Cabernet Sauvignon. The aromatics are rather attractive, but the 2002 is also in a place where any remaining bottles should be drunk.