Sourced from the oldest vines on Lee Hudson’s storied vineyard in the Carneros appellation of Napa Valley, the Arietta Merlot Hudson Vineyards consistently showcases the best that this noble variety has to offer. The coolness of the nearby bay, in combination with the deep but well-drained gravelly clay soils, makes the Hudson site ideal for ripening Merlot in the Napa Valley. This rang especially true in 2017, a warmer than normal vintage.
The 2017 Arietta Merlot Hudson Vineyards is especially noteworthy for its fruit purity and intensity. Aromatically, the wine is incredibly exuberant, with notes of fresh-picked blueberries, red raspberries, and blackberry pie, along with vanilla bean and subtle hints of freshly-toasted oak. With its black-purple opacity and bluefruited richness and depth, the Arietta Merlot Hudson Vineyards 2017 masks its power with rounded edges and a seductive demeanor that makes it irresistible right now. Like the 2017 H Block, it is a real “keeper,” and will gain layers of flavor and texture over the next fifteen years.
Blend: 100% Merlot
Fruit Sources: 100% Hudson Vineyard, Carneros
Vine Age: 31 Years
Elevage: Aged 22 months in French oak barrels, 43% new
Production: 238 cases