2021 Blankiet Estate Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Reminding me of a great Saint-Emilion with its notes of darker cherry, white truffle, spring flowers, and chalky minerality, the 2021 Merlot Rive Droite hits the palate with full-bodied richness that carries a terrific sense of freshness, ripe, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. If there's a better expression of Merlot from Napa, I'm unaware of it. This awesome wine will evolve for 20-25 years if well stored.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard marries vertical intensity and elegance to a degree I have not seen before. Red cherry fruit, kirsch orange peel, spice, mint, rose petal and a kiss of French oak are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Subtle, nuanced and wonderfully vibrant, the 2021 is just sublime. The Merlot-based Rive Droite offers a bit more sensuality and early appeal than the Cabernet Sauvignon-based offerings in this range. Some readers may prefer it to those wines - I certainly would not argue with that view!
The Merlot-based 2021 Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard includes 4.4% Cabernet Franc, but it's otherwise all Merlot, aged 18 months in 80% new French oak. Mocha and black cherries merge seamlessly on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is supple, silky and welcoming—it's just a joy to drink—and the finish lingers, extended by deep, chocolaty notes and soft, silky textures.