Review by Jebb Dunnuck
Rating: (97+)
Coming all from Yountville and 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard ranks with the top wines of the vintage and offers extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, crushed violets, tobacco leaf, damp earth, and lead pencil shavings. These all carry to an elegant, seamless yet full-bodied and powerful red that has seamless tannins, flawless balance, good acidity, and a big finish. This is about as good as 2017 gets. It’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25+ years. As always, these releases from Blankiet rely on elegance and finesse just as much as overt power and richness.
