ARIETTA WINES
Variation One 2019
Napa Valley, California
Item# 951621
Case of 6
RED BLEND Arietta "Variation One" (951621)
61% Syrah, 39% Merlot
The 2020 Variation One has an alluring, dark and toasty profile. Its opacity and black-purple hue align with the wine’s deeply layered character. Chocolate covered cherries, espresso, and umeboshi (salted Japanese plums) are just a few of the notes from this complex blend. The tannins are taut at present, but the richness of the fruit adds length, and the combination of structure and flavor bodes very well for long aging.
Arietta Red Wine Variation One is a blend of Merlot and Syrah from Hudson Vineyards. The Syrah is co-fermented with the Merlot to give the blend a wild and penetrating quality. If the H Block wine is an homage to the Right Bank of Bordeaux, Variation One is a Napa Valley original. The plum and licorice aromas of Merlot blend imperceptibly with the forest floor, wild game qualities attributable to the Syrah in a wine without antecedent anywhere in the world. Variation One may be served young, especially with wilder dishes, but the powerful, if supple, tannin will support its evolution in bottle for at least ten years.
95-97pts Antonio Galloni