One of the six “Napa Valley Super-seconds” according to Robert M. Parker and Antonio Galloni. A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from barrels not culled for the flagship cuvées.
Review
-
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 16, 2013)
Review by Stephen Tanzer
Rating: (91)
VIEW(A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 3% cab franc and 1% petit verdot; aged in 50% new and 50% once-used barrels): Good deep ruby-red. Captivating mineral and floral lift to the aromas of raspberry and red licorice. Suave and perfumed in the mouth; not a monster of density but live acidity gives shape and lift to the juicy raspberry and spice flavors. This is too easy to drink!
-
Wine Advocate # 204 (Dec. 2012)
Review by Antonio Galloni
Rating: (93)
VIEWBlankiet’s 2010 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard offers up gorgeous aromatics, refined fruit and a total sense of harmony from the very first taste. Juicy red berries, plums, roses and cinnamon meld together in this effortless, gracious wine. In 2010 the Prince of Hearts boasts lovely depth and roundness backed by the acidity and vibrancy of this great vintage. All of the Blankiet hallmarks are in the glass. If that sounds appealing, believe me, it is. This is a fabulous effort. At many estates, this would be the top wine; here it is the second label. Incidentally, Prince of Hearts is the most fairly priced among the second wines of Napa Valley’s elite properties. The 2010 is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and a drop of Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.
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.
-
Wine Advocate # 209 (Oct. 2013)
Review by Robert Parker
Rating: (90)
VIEWThe 2010 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot blended with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It offers up scents of unsmoked cigar tobacco, underbrush, forest floor, black currants, cherries, plums and Asian spice. With soft tannins, it is meant to be consumed over the next decade. The Blankiet Estate owned by Claude and Katherine Blankiet is beautifully situated on the lower hillsides of the Mayacamas Mountains, just behind the large Napanook estate of Dominus. An enviable g roup of talented people have provided assistance here, beginning with David Abreu, Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer, follow ed by Michel Rolland, Martha McCl ellan, and more recently Denis Malbec. Production remains between 1,800 and 2,500 cases with nearly h alf of that devoted to their second wine, the Prince of Hearts. The other cuvees include the Proprietary Red (Cabernet Sauvignon – dominated) and the Rive Droite (a Pomerol / St. – Emilion look – a – like wine), and in 2012, they added a tiny, 100% Cabernet Sauvig non cuvee called Mythicus. I could be wrong, but it seems to me these wines, which performed very well, and are among the finest of the so – called “cult” wines of Napa Valley, remain under – the – radar. Perhaps that is due to the small production. The 2009s ar e all stunning. In the challenging 2011 vintage, the Blankiets along with their winemaker Denis Malbec have fashioned very good examples, although they are much lighter and less concentrated and authoritative than the top vintages. The 2012s are among the finest wines Blankiet has yet made.
