After an absence in 2009, we have revived the very popular Amber Monique Syrah, named after James' daughter. The fruit for this wine was sourced from a small, family owned vineyard in the Russian River Valley and was aged 15 months in a single oak barrel. On the nose is like the smell of standing in the middle of the bramble patch, combined with further aromas of raspberry jam and forest floor. Flavors of sour cherry and blackberry pie filling are found on the palate while the light tannins and a white pepper spice linger on the tongue.

This wine is named after James' youngest son, Cash Allen Blanchard. It was sourced from a hillside spot of the Windsor Oaks Vineyard. It was aged for 18 months in French Oak and has a 15% blend of Cabernet Franc. Red currant aromas combine with tobacco leaves and a green pepper scent on the nose, while on the palate flavors of licorice, cherry liqueur, and dried herbs are found. A high toned acidity compliments hints of oaky vanilla on the mouth, with firm tannin structure on the finish.

This 2010 Russian River Valley Chardonnay has aromas of jasmine flowers and apricot compliment a second layer of honeydew melon. On the palate we find a creamy texture with flavors of white peach, caramel green apple, lemons, and a lingering finish of buttered toast. It was aged for 12 months in French Oak.

The 2010 Long Blue Line Cabernet has been sourced from the Alexander Valley appellation of Northern Sonoma County, one of the top Cabernet growing regions in all of California. This product has been specially created for the Air Force Academy as the inaugural wine in what will become an ongoing series of Long Blue Line wines. Owner, James Blanchard, is a 1998 graduate of the Air Force Academy and 20% of the sales of these wines will go to the Association of Graduates to benefit cadet programs. Our hand crafted, artisan wines exhibit the utmost quality as expected with any product representing our United States Air Force Academy.

The 2010 Long Blue Line Chardonnay hails from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, a region producing some of the world's best Chardonnays. This product has been specially created for the Air Force Academy as the inaugural wine in what will become an ongoing series of Long Blue Line wines. Owner, James Blanchard, is a 1998 graduate of the Air Force Academy and 20% of the sales of these wines will go to the Association of Graduates to benefit cadet programs. Our hand crafted, artisan wines exhibit the utmost quality as expected with any product representing our United States Air Force Academy.

This perfectly balanced blend of 6 different distinct grapes is sweet harmony in the bottle. Aromas of fresh cherries right off the tree are found on the nose while flavors of grape taffy candy, black cherries and cinnamon spice entice the palate. A succulent juicy quality on the mouth is enhanced by the soft tannins and long finish. This wine was specially created to honor the men and women of the MH-53 Pavelow helicopter. 10% of sales from this wine will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation who's mission is to provide full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions.

Our second vintage of Sauvignon Blanc was sourced from a single vineyard source in the Dry Creek Valley. This growing region is known for a warm and dry climate, but does see natural irrigation from its close proximity to Lake Sonoma. Although known mostly for red varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc has recently gained a reputation for being the most prominent white varietal in the area. Our fruit was harvested in mid-September, notably early for the season in order to allow the grapes to retain their bright acid levels.

The third vintage of our Cabernet Sauvignon, named for James's second son, is the first to be sourced from the award winning Laurel Springs Ranch, a small three acre vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. The grapes were harvested at dawn and sorted by hand before going into one-ton bins for a five day cold soak to extract maximum color and tannin structure. The wine was fermented in these bins before being aged in French Oak barrels for 20 months. This is a perfectly balanced wine, with layers of aroma like forest floor, roasted coffee and cocoa. The palate finds flavors of exotic spice, black cherries, and rich dark chocolate. The tannins are lush on the mouth feel with a long finish that leaves hints of vanilla from the oak influence. This wine will only improve in the bottle with aging potential of 7-10 years.

Our second vintage of Zinfandel was named after James' oldest son, Jackson James Blanchard. This fruit for this wine is a combination of Sonoma Mountain and Russian River Valley and was aged for 15 months in French Oak. Aromas resemble that of fields of fresh strawberries, red licorice and a hint of vanilla. On the palate we find boysenberry jam, cordial cherries, and cinnamon. A rich acidity on the finish is complimented by a touch of minerality on the mouth.

This second vintage of our Russian River Valley Pinot Gris is named the Peoria Pink in honor of our hometown of Peoria, Illinois and as a tribute to breast cancer awareness. 20% of the sales of this wine will be donated to a breast cancer charity. The fruit was sourced from the Windsor Oaks vineyards, with a cool climate influence that is perfect for Pinot Gris. The afternoon winds that flow through the sloping hills of this particular vineyard block ensure steady and even ripening of the grapes and a balance in the acid levels. Gentle stirring of the lees during the stainless steel aging process gives the wine an almost creamy mouth feel and texture. Floral aromas entice the nose while flavors of apricot and white peach fill the palate, all completed with a crisp citrus finish.

Blanchard Family Wines are proud supporters of Generation Rescue and have created this privately branded wine to help support their cause and a portion of all sales will be donated to Generation Rescue. Since 2005, Generation Rescue has been dedicated to recovery for children with autism spectrum disorders by providing guidance and support for medical treatment to directly improve the child's quality of life for all families in need. This light and expressive 2011 Pinot Gris was sourced from the cool and coastal influence of the Russian River Valley. On the nose we find aromas of citrus groves and fresh flowers. The palate is filled with complex flavors of peaches and grapefruit, combined with taffy and dried apricots. An elegant mouth feel with a pleasant acidic touch compliments the long and tangy finish. This is a refreshing, easy sipping wine perfect to enjoy on a warm day.

Blanchard Family Wines has had two custom wine boxes created to beautifully display our wines or to use as a gift set. One box is designed with the Blanchard Family Wine logo on the inside and outside of the box in order to be displayed open or closed. The other box has been printed with the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates logo on the inside of the box to be used in conjunction with our Long Blue Line series of wines.

Blanchard Family Wines custom t-shirt.