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If you're looking for a perfectly executed, harmonious bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, welcome home. This is your quarry.
The Arietta wines are a brilliant alchemy of so many elements: the passion of Fritz Hatton, the expertly farmed Hudson and Meteor Vineyards, and the perfectionism of winemaker Andy Erickson, who is working at the absolute pinnacle of his game. These wines are a luxurious way to taste the very best of the southern Napa Valley.
Andy Erickson describes in this 2014 “a burnished texture, black fruit flavors and aromas, and hints of crushed stones and freshly dug soil. The addition of 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot adds layers of complexity and enjoyment to the wine, with notes
of pencil shavings, cardamom, and dried flowers.”
By now you're likely familiar with the Arietta label, which was born out of a friendship/partnership between wine specialist and auctioneer Fritz Hatton and winemaker John Kongsgaard. Both lovers of classical music and classic wines, their inspiration for Arietta is rooted in a special 2.3 acre block of Cabernet Franc on Lee Hudson's iconic Carneros ranch. In 2005 Fritz Hatton and wife Caren bought out the Kongsgaard family's interest in Arietta and brought on former Harlan Estate powerhouse Andy Erickson as winemaker (he's also the man behind Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle, as well). We hope you enjoy their wines as much as we do.
The Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes from Coombsville, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A classic, cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignon with plenty of minerality, spice box, underbrush, forest floor and earth with red and blackcurrants in the background. The wine is medium to full-bodied and tightly knit compared to the other Ariettas.