2008 Arietta Quartet Red

(62% cabernet sauvignon, 26% cabernet franc, 10% merlot and 2% petit verdot): Bright, deep red-ruby. Reticent aromas and flavors of currant and smoky oak; the most forward of these 2008 reds today. Supple, broad and sweet; not as dense as its 2008 siblings, but finishes with good length and aromatic lift. The substantial dusty tannins turned a bit dry with air. Winemaker Erickson describes this cuvee as Arietta's restaurant wine.

The most monolithic wine (as it was in 2007) is the 2008 Quartet, a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. This wine has impressive color, medium to full body, and lots of licorice, herbs, and black currants, but it comes across as somewhat monochromatic – or should I say, like music in a single key. Nevertheless, there is a lot there, and it may just need more time to unfold and reveal its true personality. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following decade. This is an intriguing and provocative operation from wine personality Fritz Hatton, who is also a classical pianist and auctioneer. He has long had a winemaking association with well-known Napa consultant Andy Erickson. Tel. (707) 963-5918; fax (707) 963-5919