2018 Arietta 'Variation One' Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

Winemaker Notes: Variation One is a proprietary blend of Syrah and Merlot, both of which thrive on Lee and Cristina Hudson’s sprawling ranch in the southwestern reaches of Napa Valley. The two varieties sing in joyous harmony with the 2018 vintage and tend to simultaneously tame and encourage each other. The acidity and freshness of the Merlot are the perfect counterpoints to the dark, brooding character of the Syrah. The earthy, smoky complexity of the Syrah is put into focus by the purity and liveliness of the fruit-driven Merlot. Together, they create a wine of singular expression, one with great showmanship and subtle nuance. Like the other Arietta red wines, it is fermented with native yeasts, barrel-aged with minimal racking, and bottled without filtration or fining. Its uniqueness is apparent in its youth, but the real payoff comes after several years of bottle age when new layers of complexity and intensity are revealed.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Wine Enthusiast - "Blending 58% Syrah with 42% Merlot both grown on Hudson Vineyard, this is an intriguing, impressively structured and powerful wine with enduring grace. It opens in garrigue, iron and oak, with refined, supple and supportive tannins. Black pepper and espresso come to a peak on the long finish, meshing perfectly with the underlying acidity."