2015 Nicholas Allen Carte Blanche Proprietary Blend Red

Carte Blanche's 2015 Proprietary Red is soft, sensual and inviting. This is a relatively quiet, understated style for the year. More importantly, the 2015 shows better from bottle than it did last year. Dark berry, mocha, espresso and floral notes are nicely pushed forward. The Franc character is especially evident today. (AG)

Leading off the 2015s from this estate, the 2015 Proprietary Red is a much more Cabernet-dominated blend than the 2014 and is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec. Brought up all in new French oak, this monster effort boasts a deep purple color as well as sensational notes of currants, blackberry liqueur, graphite, espresso roast and leafy herbs. Full-bodied, ripe, opulent and incredibly concentrated, this killer effort needs 2-3 years to shed some baby fat, but it’s going to keep for 2-3 decades. Carte Blanche is run by Nicolas Allen and was founded in 2007. The estate worked with the talented Luc Morlet up through 2014 before bringing on board Helen Keplinger. Her 2014s are brilliant wines… and the 2015s are even better!

Blended of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard with 18% Merlot, 18.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Malbec, the 2015 Proprietary Red gives a very deep inky purple color and very pretty nose of baking spices, potpourri, underbrush and rose hip tea over a core of crushed black plums and black currants, with hints of dried mint and chocolate box. Rich, full-bodied and impactful with its layers of perfumed fruit in the mouth, it has lovely plush tannins and just enough acid lift, finishing with great length. 200 cases were made.