Nicholas Allen’s family has been in the wine business for nearly a century, since his great grandfather, Clarence Dillon, acquired Chateau Haut-Brion in 1935 and their family company, Domaine Clarence Dillon, subsequently purchased Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion in 1983.

He gained an early exposure, appreciation, and genuine interest in wine from his family. Eventually, he was inspired to produce his own boutique label in Napa Valley—Carte Blanche. Over time, he became fascinated by both the science and nature of great wines—the grand alliance between winemaker and nature, art and technology. One memorable Christmas, his grandmother gave him a wax stamp of his initials. That stamp, his wax seal, is his vintner mark for Nicholas Allen Wines.

Carte Blanche represents his commitment to crafting limited, luxury wines in America that are inspired by the classical French winemaking tradition. Devoted to the notion of “terroir,” he came to California with a desire to work with a clean slate to forge a unique, world-class wine in Napa Valley–hence the name Carte Blanche.

As a result, Nicholas Allen Wines & Carte Blanche were founded in 2007, and in 2008 he worked with their founding Winemaker Luc Morlet to create unique wines from Napa and Sonoma inspired by Old World French predecessors. Together they selected specific vineyard sites, each with their own personality, to create wines of distinction, precision, and balance.

The core of his wine producing philosophy is to respect the terroir in each wine, thus accepting the responsibility to honor what the earth has given us. In early 2014, Carte Blanche continued its commitment to that mantra in welcoming Helen Keplinger as their new winemaker. With each vintage, they celebrate Carte Blanche—the freedom to create wines from singular or multiple vineyards, varietals or appellations. They constantly strive to extract the best out of nature and science. Their art and creative freedom allows them to work with an open canvas and develop exceptional wines that enhance their celebration of life.