Carte Blanche

Carte Blanche is a wine producer in California's Napa Valley region known for producing high-quality, limited-production wines.

History of Carte Blanche

The family has been in the wine business for almost a century, since great-grandfather, Clarence Dillon, took over Chateau Haut-Brion in 1935 and our family business, Domaine Clarence Dillon, subsequently purchased Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion in 1983. Eventually, Nicholas Allen was inspired to produce his own wine in Napa Valley under the name Carte Blanche. Over time, Nicholas became fascinated with both the science and nature of great wines. The great alliance between winemaker and nature, art and technology. One Christmas, Nicholas' grandmother gave Nicholas a wax stamp with his initials. That stamp has become the wine brand for Nicholas Allen Wines.

His continued exposure to wine and eagerness to learn more about viticulture and winemaking made wine production his passion. Carte Blanche represents the commitment to crafting limited, luxury wines in America that are inspired by the classic French wine tradition. Dedicated to the concept of terroir, he went to California with the desire to work from a blank slate to forge a unique, world-class wine in Napa Valley. This gave rise to the name Carte Blanche. As a result, Nicholas Allen Wines & Carte Blanche was founded in 2007, and in 2008 Nicolas collaborated with founding winemaker Luc Morlet to create unique wines from Napa and Sonoma, inspired by Old World French predecessors. Together they have selected specific vineyards, each with their own personality, to create wines of distinction, precision and balance.

Philosophy of Carte Blanche

At the core of the winemaking philosophy is respecting the terroir in every wine, and in doing so, accepting the responsibility to honor what the earth has given them. In early 2014, Carte Blanche continued its commitment to that mantra by welcoming Helen Keplinger as the new winemaker. With every vintage they celebrate Carte Blanche: tThe freedom to create wines from single or multiple vineyards, varieties or appellations. They continually strive to get the best out of nature and science. The art and creative freedom allow them to work with an open canvas and develop exceptional wines that enhance our celebration of life. The winery's name, Carte Blanche, reflects their philosophy of giving the winemaking team the creative freedom to make the best wines possible, without limitations by tradition or preconceived ideas. They source their grapes from select vineyards in Napa Valley and work closely with experienced growers to ensure the highest quality fruit.