January 31, 2008
Blankiet Estate Releases 2005
I get these wine releases on almost a daily basis and the things people say to describe their wine can be sometimes silly and other times downright mistakes. I must however say that Claude Blankiet writes one smoking letter! Take this statement as an example, “A vintage is the summary of hundreds of micro decisions involving winemaking and viticulture. Those decisions are based, of course, on experience in anticipation of predicted weather patterns, but with Mother Nature constantly shuffling the decks, luck can never be discounted.” This is one of the best descriptions of the reality of being a farmer I have ever read!
The Blankiets are not just resting on their laurels, however, they have some of the best staff anywhere on earth to get this process right! They have brought back David Abreau to oversee viticulture. Martha McClelland is Winemaker and to assist in blending, famed oenologist from Bordeaux, Michael Rolland!
To focus, they have decided this will be the last year they offer two wines; one Cabernet based and one Merlot based from their Paradise Hills Estate. Starting with vintage 2006 they have chosen to pool their resources into one lot and hereafter produce one blend. They will be using all of the wine to make the most ultimate blend that they can possibly create! Hence from 2006 they will offer only one wine which will include both Cabernet and Merlot as its base!
Of course the rating people have assigned their numbers once again: around 95 for the Cabernet and 94 for the Merlot based wine, Rive Droite. The wine is available in lots of 3, 6 or 12 bottles if you are on the mailing list. These are big wines which require cellaring and will develop for years to come.
The 2005 Cabernet is priced at $185 a bottle and the Rive Droite (Merlot Based) $125 on a first come first served basis.
