2015 Nicholas Allen Carte Blanche Cabernet Sauvignon

Lastly, and pure perfection in the glass, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal from two great sites: Missouri Hopper in Oakville and Las Posadas in Howell Mountain. Aged in 100% new French oak, it offers an incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, liquid rock, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and unsmoked tobacco, with searing minerality in the aromatics as well as on the palate. Offering full-bodied richness, terrific concentration, and building tannin, this backward, dense, yet perfectly balanced 2015 needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will impress for 2-3 decades. Bravo! Carte Blanche is run by Nicolas Allen and was founded in 2007. The estate worked with the talented Luc Morlet up through 2014 before bringing on board Helen Keplinger. Her 2014s are brilliant wines… and the 2015s are even better!

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is made predominately from Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard. It gives a very deep purple-black color and is redolent of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, Indian spices and crushed rocks with touches of black soil, cigar boxes and Provence herbs. The palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the generous black and blue fruits and beautiful spice layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 200 cases were made.

Inky blue and purplish fruit, crème de cassis, licorice, plum and white flowers infuse the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted from a base blend of pure Cabernet, the 2015 is looking very good. The key will be maintaining freshness in this freakishly ripe vintage.