Carte Blanche (Nicholas Allen Wines), Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Carte Blanche (Nicholas Allen Wines) · California › Napa Valley › United States of America

Red · Cabernet Sauvignon
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LWIN 1467334
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
93 /100
Reviews
24
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

25
25
Reviews
93.5
Avg Score
96
Highest
Taster #2376 · Apr 1, 2025
94/100
Still going strong. PnP and opened up over an hour. Cork in great shape.
2010 vintage
Taster #5706 · Aug 11, 2024
92/100
This is Napa cab to the core. Delicious fruit, a dense wine with balance, if a little coarse. Sturdy as a 2 by 4. Enjoy now or in years to come.
2010 vintage
Taster #2376 · Jun 11, 2023
95/100
This bottle is really hitting its stride. Developing beautifully. PnP. Cork was a bit soft so consider using the Durand. Took about 30 minutes to open. Beautifully balanced. Velvety tannins, dark fruit, and a hint of dark chocolate. Long finish of greater than 45 seconds. Held up over 2 hours, and at 4 hours still bold, but on to tertiary components of herb and vanilla. This is a beautiful bottle that may be at peak, but I'll try my last …
2010 vintage
Taster #2376 · Feb 1, 2023
94/100
PnP. Still drinking well. Balanced, tannins have mellowed, wonderful Cab.
2010 vintage
Taster #0846 · Nov 21, 2021
95/100
Pop and pour and just awesome. Just what you want from a Napa cab with steak. We were sad when it was done. Tons of fruit still so could sit for a while longer.
2010 vintage
Taster #6922 · Jan 21, 2021
92/100
Very enjoyable with a steak and risotto- I saved a bit overnite- it didn’t last well- I actually did the original as a Pop and pour after brief aeration into decanter but not much time- probably needs an hr to open? This is a Luc morlet and Nicholas Allen project and a great qpr-mine was less than $100. I got blueberry and blackberry with some graphite and chocolate.not much tannin now and suggest drink in next couple yrs as unlikely …
2010 vintage
Taster #8685 · Nov 6, 2020
Corked
2010 vintage
Taster #2481 · Sep 3, 2020
94/100
dark black, bright red rim - restrained nose, but dark fruit, vanilla and moderate oak - big fruit in the mouth (blackberries, black cherries & cassis) - good balance, but acidity predominating right now - exceptional potential, but needs another 3-5 (maybe 10) years to show its full potential (or not, by then)
2010 vintage
Taster #3846 · Aug 30, 2020
93/100
Popped and poured through an aerator. Nose and taste of blackberries, vanilla, raisins, cocoa dark chocolate, ash and cedar. Medium plus body. A little more refined and less full throttled than the bottle before it - a 2017 Myriad Beskstoffer Cabernet. About 93-94.
2010 vintage
Taster #3220 · Jul 6, 2020
96/100
Cork was distended a few centimeters and the cork showed bleeding through 80% of it, didn't have high hopes, particularly after the "meh" showing of my first bottle a year ago. This was a revelation. Singing immediately upon opening - caramel, toasted oak, light vanillin, raspberrry, blackberry. Went perfectly with a rib-eye, but was just as delicious by itself while cooking.
2010 vintage
Taster #0766 · Nov 10, 2019
91/100
Really needs decanting, it's a waste to pho, opened up crazy good after 2 hours. Crushed blackberries, vanilla nose, Cassis, currants, dark chocolate, store bought figs and cigar. Medium finish with pleasant after taste.
2010 vintage
Taster #9945 · Jun 9, 2019
91/100
delicious integrated unabashedly new world integrated and early in it's drinking life
2010 vintage
Taster #8685 · Jan 21, 2019
95/100
Dark color, nice nose, full bodied, balance and great finish. Drinking amazingly well.
2010 vintage
Taster #3244 · Jul 28, 2018
92/100
Full bodied, wonderful fruit and smooth.
2010 vintage
Taster #3244 · Jul 7, 2018
92/100
Good structure, good fruit. Very drinkable. Needed to accompany food.
2010 vintage
Taster #3244 · Jan 13, 2018
95/100
Exceptional after decanting for six hours, all of which were needed. Smooth, full texture. Exceptional fruit with hints of cherry and blackberry.
2010 vintage
Taster #2757 · Dec 5, 2017
93/100
This wine needs time to open. If it is less than an hour decant, you will not enjoy this wine's secrets. Bordeaux style with a little jam. Dark cherry, cedar, smoke and spices. Good flavor but lacks a broadness on the palette. I enjoyed but expected more. Has plenty of years left.
2010 vintage
Taster #0846 · Nov 19, 2017
93/100
Still wonderful. French style, napa fruit. Silky mouthfeel. Needed an hour to really open and was super on day 2.
2010 vintage
Taster #0701 · Oct 3, 2017
93/100
Nice wine; slightly jammy; rich Napa cab.
2010 vintage
Taster #6904 · Jan 14, 2017
95/100
Drinking at its peak.
2010 vintage
Taster #0846 · Oct 15, 2016
93/100
Wonderful cab. Classic napa profile. Silky mouthfeel, black fruit humming, tannins well integrated.
2010 vintage
Taster #6226 · Jul 17, 2016
94/100
Outstanding cab. Great with a rib-eye steak. The balance, dark fruit, lead and graphite notes make this outstanding
2010 vintage
Taster #6226 · Mar 7, 2016
94/100
Really good and the time has just enhanced the dark fruits and powerful well rounded finish. Remaining bottles will wait a loiter longer
2010 vintage
Taster #6226 · Dec 27, 2015
94/100
See prior notes
2010 vintage
Taster #5769 · Mar 6, 2015
93/100
Wonderful Cab. Terrific nose, makes you want to sit and smell it for a while. Really nice structure and character on the palate. You wouldn't mistake this for anything else than a Cab. The finish lingers and lingers. Went wonderfully with the dry-aged NY Strip.
2010 vintage