(97+ points) Coming all from Yountville and 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard ranks with the top wines of the vintage and offers extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, crushed violets, tobacco leaf, damp earth, and lead pencil shavings. These all carry to an elegant, seamless yet full-bodied and powerful red that has seamless tannins, flawless balance, good acidity, and a big finish. This is about as good as 2017 gets. It's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25+ years. As always, these releases from Blankiet rely on elegance and finesse just as much as overt power and richness.

The 2017 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard is super-expressive and classy from start to finish. Inky black cherry, plum, graphite, menthol and licorice all come together nicely in the glass for an overall impeccable impression. Medium in body and quite graceful, the 2017 shows beautifully, even in the early going. This is a decidedly laid-back style, but it all works nicely. Aromatic, savory and highly delineated, the 2017 Proprietary Red is one of the successes of the year. -- Antonio Galloni