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
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Vinous (Oct. 2015)
Review by Antonio Galloni
Rating: (92)
VIEWThe 2012 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard is absolutely gorgeous. Sweet, plush and inviting, the 2012 exudes richness married to freshness. Red cherry, plum, pomegranate and sweet spices are all pushed forward in a gorgeous, inviting wine that is drinking beautifully right now. Best of all, Prince of Hearts is one of the very finest wines in Napa Valley. The blend is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.
Blankiet fans will find much to admire in these current and upcoming releases. The 2012s continue to develop positively in bottle, while the 2013s capture the utter profoundness of this great Napa Valley vintage. But it is the 2014s that could turn out to be the most surprising wines in the three vintages spanning 2012-2014, as they exude brisk energy, striking aromatics and fabulous overall energy. Comparing the 2013s and 2014s here will be a fascinating exercise for many years to come. Proprietors Claude and Katherine Blankiet spare no expense to put only the very best in the bottle, while winemakers Denis and May-Britt Malbec continue to refine their approach to getting the most out of these pristine hillside vineyards. The flagship Proprietary Red and new 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Mythicus will get most of the attention, but readers should also take a look at the Prince of Hearts, which is one of Napa Valley’s very finest values in artisan, world-class
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Vinous (Dec. 2014)
Review by Antonio Galloni
Rating: (92)
VIEWBlankiet Estate 2012 Prince of Hearts
Paradise Hills Vineyard
Yountville, Napa Valley, United States
Drinking window: 2015 – 2027The 2012 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard is fabulous, as it has been the last few years. Racy and perfumed, the 2012 impresses for its balance, class and overall symmetry. Sweet floral and spiced notes add lift on the finish. Best of all, Prince of Hearts remains one of the very finest values in handmade, artisan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2012 is simply exquisite.
Antonio Galloni, December 2014
Grapes Variety: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Blankiet has come a long way over the last few years. Increased focus on the dual flagships Rive Droite and Proprietary Red fueled by Claude and Katherine Blankiet’s relentless pursuit of excellence has resulted in more severe selection, lower production and higher overall quality. One of the secondary results of that is a marked increase in quality of Blankiet’s second wine, Prince of Hearts, which is now one of the very best values in Napa Valley. More recently, the Blankiets have introduced a pure Cabernet Sauvignon, Mythicus. Every visit to Blankiet Estate is proof of the total obsession to detail that is the rule here. The 2012s are radiant and expressive, which is the style of the year, but I was also quite surprised by just how finessed the 2013s are now given that so many wines in this vintage are so structured and tannic. These are magnificent wines from the Blankiets and the husband and wife winemaking team of Denis and May-Britt Malbec.
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Wine Advocate # 215 (Oct. 2014)
Review by Robert Parker
Rating: (91)
VIEWA blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the outstanding 2012 Prince of Hearts Paradise Hills Vineyard is soft, plump and juicy with notes of candied caramel, blackcurrants, sweet kirsch, new saddle leather and licorice. This beautiful second wine should drink well for 10-15 years. This fabulous small estate tucked in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, behind the Dominus Napanook estate in Yountville, continues to turn out a bevy of brilliant wines from proprietors Claude and Katherine Blankiet. As I wrote last year, they have had an amazing group of top wine consultants on their payroll, including viticulturist David Abreu, Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer, Michael Rolland, Martha McClellan, and currently, Denis Malbec. The owners’ only goal is to make world-class wines, and their tiny production of under 2,500 cases is mindboggling for the major effort they are making. In any event, it’s about quality, not quantity. The 2012s are beautifully forward, open-knit, ripe wines, and the 2013s look equally fleshy and beautiful, and perhaps, as a vintage, less backward than many 2013s may prove to be elsewhere.
