2002 Blankiet Estate Merlot Paradise Hills Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The deep, rich 2002 Merlot is not up to the level of the 2003, although it does possess fabulously complex notes of scorched earth, chocolate, espresso roast, and meaty black cherries, currants, and plums. A broodingly backward, concentrated, full-bodied, dense, and super-rich Merlot, it should drink well for 15 or more years. As I have written before, the only way readers are going to get any of this wine is to be on the mailing list or check out one of the few restaurants that receives an allocation. This is an amazing operation on the hillsides overlooking the huge Dominus/Napanook estate. A complex set of caves and a remarkable, nearly surreal chateau grace the property. Winemaker Helen Turley, working with her viticulturalist husband, John Wetlaufer, is fashioning some spectacular wines from these hillsides of volcanic ash and basalt. These are big, structured, potentially long-lived wines that will need some cellar time for those lucky enough to latch onto a few bottles. Everything to date has been aged in 100% new Taransaud barrels for 18-19 months and then bottled unfiltered. Tel. (707) 963-2001; Fax (707) 963-2012
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Saturated ruby-red. Wonderfully complex, deep aromas of plum, currant, licorice, smoke, dark chocolate and spices. Superconcentrated, round, sweet and creamy, with highly complex flavors of plum, dark chocolate, minerals and leather. This offers breadth and palate coverage rare for merlot that's not grown on the Po merol plateau. The rising finish boasts superb breadth and length. A great California merlot.
Saturated deep ruby. Complex, brooding aromas of cassis, black cherry, bitter chocolate, licorice and menthol. Then lush and pure in the mouth, with terrific clarity of cassis, black cherry and menthol flavors. Broad, slow-building, very long finish shows perfectly distributed tannins.
Saturated medium ruby. Perfumed aromas of black fruits, shoe polish, minerals, leather and spices; shows a cool aspect, perhaps from the small percentage of cabernet franc. Sweet, sappy and dense, with vigorous flavors of blackberry, licorice and orange peel. This has a firm, rather cabernet-like structure. Vibrant, serious merlot - very impressive considering the vines were planted in 1999.