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Owners Claude and Katherine Blankiet spent many years searching for a specific hillside vineyard on the western side of Napa Valley. Finally, in 1996 they purchased 50 acres of land that previously was part of Domain Chandon’s holdings but was never planted. This is prime vineyard land; perhaps it is surprising that it was never developed as such considering it sits directly west of Dominus Estate and one of the Napa Valley’s most historic vineyard sites, Napanook Vineyard. The Blankiets brought in Helen Turley and David Abreu to help them develop the property and named the vineyards Paradise Hills.

Blankiet Estate has unique geological characteristics as it is divided by two seismic sub-faults coming from the Mayacamas Mountain range. The land on the north side of the canyon is made of andesite rocks covered by white volcanic ash. Cabernet Sauvignon was planted there on porous and nutrient-poor soil. The 25 years old vines have developed a deep root system that brings astonishing complexity to the wines made from these grapes. The opposite side of the dividing canyon is completely different: The mountain is made from basalt, decomposing into sandy soils, while in the deepest part of the canyon, the basalt is covered by several feet of iron-rich clay. The Merlot has been planted on these slopes. A constant flow of cold air coming from the San Francisco Bay keeps the Merlot vines five degrees cooler than the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards.

The best geologist from Austria was commissioned to excavate several soil slabs five feet deep to demonstrate the astonishing underground complexity of the vineyards. They are displayed inside the winery.

Claude calls his vineyard “a puzzle of microclimates” and terroir. It is a remarkable property where 100 points Cabernet Sauvignon are produced next to 100 points Merlot wines.