Winemaker Notes
Produced entirely from fruit from the long-lived “I Block” on the Hudson ranch, the 2018 Arietta Merlot mirrors the character of the old vines that hold the fruit: muscular, deep, and at the same time balanced. The wine is alive with notes of black cherry, boysenberry, flint, and clove. Bottled unfiltered after aging in 50% new French oak, its tannins have a cocoa powder texture, and the intensity of the fruit lingers on the finish for nearly a minute.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a deliciously memorable Merlot, youthful in tannin and oak, with an herbal, earthy elegance that remains lengthy on the palate. Dark chocolate, crushed rock and beautiful black fruit balance against each other and provide substance and great style.
Editor's Choice
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of ripe black cherries, redcurrants, green tobacco, and cedar emerge from the 2018 Merlot Hudson Vineyards. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with a soft spine of acidity and great tannins, this beautiful, complex, classic Merlot has plenty of up-front appeal, yet it should also evolve gracefully for 10-15 years.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.