Wine Personality of the month!

 Claude Blankiet / Proprietor of Blankiet Estate /Yountville, Napa Valley

Claude and his wife Katherine purchased the estate above Dominus Estate and Napanook in 1996. Claude grew up in France with a family deeply rooted in the textile industry. His grandfather invented weaving looms and his father owned factories manufacturing military uniforms before World War II
 
What inspires you the most in wine? ...

When walking on the well-manicured vineyards belonging to Claude and Katherine Blankiet while listening to their passionate description about the terroir of the Blankiet Estate, one cannot help but conclude that this winery truly is one of the top estates in Napa Valley.

The couple established a 16-acre Blankiet Paradise Hills in 1996 after finding a dream spot just behind Dominus Estate in Yountville, in the steep foothills of the Mayacama...

Our Paradise Hills Vineyard is farmed organically and great care is taken to maintain the balance of the soil. Nutrients taken from the land during the growing season and harvest are replaced using green manure. A mix of winter grasses and legumes such as clover, winter rye, sorghum and sweet peas, are seeded between rows. When spring comes, the grasses are mowed down and spaded back into the soil.

Grape vines regenerate from seed or from v...

Great wine comes from great grapes. We take extra care in preserving the flavors of the fruit during our winemaking process. Each pick is fermented separately  in small custom made stainless steel tanks. First, a week of cold maceration allows enzymes to soften the cellular structure of the berries while alcoholic fermentation remains inhibited by low temperature. Color and water soluble aromatic compounds are extracted during this period. Nex...

Winemaker Graeme MacDonald is a fourth generation Napa Valley wine grower who resides on his family property within the famous To Kalon Vineyard. He studied Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis before founding MACDONALD in 2010, where he serves as winemaker and vineyard manager. Robert Mondavi used to refer to his family as “the best grape-growers in the Napa Valley,” a commitment that resonates today.

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Vineyar...