Review by Antonio Galloni
Rating: (98+)
The 2010 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard is stunningly beautiful. At once rich yet weightless, the 2010 covers every inch of the palate with seemingly endless layers of aromas and flavors. The 2010 is endowed with exceptional elegance and finesse. Hints of graphite and pencil shavings add intrigue and a cool sense of minerality on the finish. Not an obvious wine, the 2010 will need several years at a minimum to reveal its pure pedigree, but it is a fabulous wine to treasure between the ages of ten and twenty-plus. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.
Claude and Katherine Blankiet have spared no expense in their goal to make world-class wines, and it shows in these magnificent new releases. One of the biggest changes at Blankiet over the last few years has been the creation of a second wine, Prince of Hearts, first released with the 2008 vintage. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the creation of a second label is one of the main reasons quality has been so exceptional here, especially in the last few years, none of which has been easy. Prince of Hearts, with its production between 600-1,000 cases, is all or mostly juice that used to end up in the Rive Droite and Proprietary Red. Readers who want to learn more about Blankiet might like to take a look at my videos of the 2011 and 2012 harvests.
Drink 2020 – 2030
