Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Blackbird Vineyards was acquired by John and Julia Henshaw in 2018, with Aaron Pott at the helm of winemaking since 2006. Arise, considered the second wine of Blackbird, was aged for 20 months in 33% new French oak. The wine bursts from the glass with effusive black and red fruit notes layered with graphite, loamy earth, and dark chocolate, all coming together on a medium- to full-bodied palate framed by ultra-fine-grained tannins and a fantastic core of acidity that keeps everything light, bright, crunchy, and incredibly satisfying. This may be one of the most food-friendly Arise wines I have tasted.
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James Suckling
Aromas of red and black currants, dried herbs, ferric earth and crushed blueberries with a lovely earthy undertone. The palate is refined and pure, with fine-boned tannins, a lush, textural mouthfeel and a soft yet compact finish. Made from 90% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. It shows plenty of ageability.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Arise Proprietary Red offers darker berries, spring flowers, violets, and peppery herbs. It's medium-bodied, bright, and juicy on the palate, with a clean, balanced style that delivers terrific overall harmony. This is a great value that will shine over the coming 8-10 years. Drink 2025-2035.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.