Arietta Red Wine Quartet 2014
In the Arietta Quartet 2014, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, we marry the freshness and tension imparted by relatively cool vineyard sites in Coombsville and Carneros to the weight and juiciness of Cabernet Sauvignon from Calistoga.
Arietta’s winemaker Andy Erickson notes:
“2014 was a textbook California growing season, albeit unusually early. Rains in February and March—some of the only measurable rain to fall during California’s five-year drought—helped recharge groundwater reserves, allowing the vines to build a strong framework upon which a healthy crop was able to set. After early April, we saw essentially no precipitation for nearly six months. Temperatures were on the warm side, but only one day during ripening saw the thermometer rise into triple digits. These conditions made for even maturation and intense varietal expression.
The 2014 Arietta Quartet, a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, shows energy, brightness, and core strength. Its vibrant red-purple hue and remarkable density reveal the wine’s inherent power. It is aromatically fresh and expressive, while still maintaining precision and focus. Red cherry, raspberry, and just-picked blackberry are at the forefront when the wine is first poured. Notes of black licorice, cinnamon, and dark chocolate mark the palate, along with red and black fruit flavors. The vintage is evident in the wine’s generous acidity, which punctuates the many layers of fruit and spice in the wine, and adds to its overall structure and ageablity. This Quartet, while certainly very enjoyable now, will age for 15-20 years.”
Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot
Fruit Sources: 49% Coombsville, 23% Calistoga, 29% Carneros
Cooperage: Aged 22 months in French oak, 49% new
Production: 1,256 cases