2004 | Blankiet Estate | Paradise Hills Vineyard Merlot

Red Wine: 2004 | Blankiet Estate | Paradise Hills Vineyard Merlot

This is a stunning Merlot, impossibly rich. Saturated and opaque in color, it tastes fat and flashy, with masses of cherry and blackberry jam, anise, chocolate and Provenal herb flavors.

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Producer: Blankiet Estate

Vintage: 2004

Size: 750ml

Varietal: Merlot

Country/Region: United States, California

This is a stunning Merlot, impossibly rich. Saturated and opaque in color, it tastes fat and flashy, with masses of cherry and blackberry jam, anise, chocolate and Provenal herb flavors.

Producer Information

Blankiet Estate is a wine producer established in 1996 in the Napa Valley, California. The estate vineyard, Paradise Hills, overlooks Yountville at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, and is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The vineyard is perched on a steep slope above Dominus Estate’s famous Napanook vineyard. The Paradise Hills is split into four parcels, each section distinguishable by its soils and climate. The vineyards face east, and have significant diurnal temperature variation that helps the grapes reach full phenolic ripeness while retaining acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in the parts of the vineyard that have porous volcanic soils, whereas Merlot is planted in soils of deep alluvial clay. Blankiet Estate employs viticulturist David Abreu and winemaker Helen Turley, who worked together to develop the vineyard, sourcing rootstocks, and grafting them with clones from first growth estates in Bordeaux. Harvest takes place as the parcels ripen, and everything is done by hand, from harvest, to inspection and sorting. The Grapes are cold macerated for a week before the fruit is warmed to kick-start alcoholic fermentation. The wines are regularly pumped-over during ferment and, once this is complete, the wine is transferred to new French oak barrels in a warm cellar for malolactic fermentation. After this period, the barrels are transferred to colder areas of the winery building for a two-year maturation period, before being bottled without filtration or fining.