“Like an over-sized, phenomenal Cheval Blanc.” – Robert Parker

The greatest wine critic ever anointed H Block with this high praise 20 vintages ago. Having tasted this ‘20 vintage of the legendary “H Block” just a few weeks ago, we can testify it remains true. This 96-pointer clearly stood out above everything in front of us.

Mr. Parker added that he “would love to taste it alongside the 2000 Cheval Blanc.” Same. Although we didn’t have $1,000 for a lone bottle of 2020 Cheval Blanc. We’d rather take TEN bottles of what has to be one of Napa’s TOP Right Bank styled wines.

Which is possible today, as this drops from $175 down to $98.

The winemaking genius behind it is Andy Erickson, a first-ballot Hall of Famer. We know him from his formative Screaming Eagle years. He was also instrumental in Harlan Estate, Staglin Family, Dalla Valle, Mayacamas Vineyards, and Cervantes, while all along making his own label, Favia.

And Hudson Vineyards? It’s a legendary site. In a comprehensive study of the H Block Vinous describes “a wine that has established a track record for evolving with charm and style”, ciding “fully half of the vintages we tasted (and we went back to the first one) were utterly splendid, and there wasn’t a weak wine in the bunch… happy owners of this wine know that it gives great pleasure virtually from day one and gains in richness, complexity, and suavity with 8 to 10 years of bottle aging.”

Then, diving into some history, to uncover why, “Arietta was established in 1996 as a 50/50 venture between rare wine specialist and wine auctioneer Fritz Hatton, and winemaker John Kongsgaard, who had made wine at Newton Vineyards from 1983 through 1995, working closely with super-consultant Michel Rolland through most of that period. In ‘96, Kongsgaard asked Lee Hudson if he could buy the H Block Cabernet Franc… The vineyard enjoys a warm southwest exposure and is one of the rare places in Carneros with volcanic ash in the soil (it’s actually a foothill of Mount Veeder) … Through the years, the wine has typically been about 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot* (not unlike Cheval Blanc).”

And not all vintages are smooth sailing, so when the going gets tough, only the greatest vineyards, in the hands of the greatest winemakers, truly shine. This haunting beauty that drinks like silk today, after over half a decade of cellaring, is a true testament to that, as the dead-on review below proves it.

Thanks to our three decades of kinship and support, it’s available only here while it lasts. Or at full price directly from the winery if you don’t buy it all. Get it while you can.

96 Points – Wine Advocate “Arietta was founded in 1996 as a partnership between auctioneer Fritz Hatton and winemaker John Kongsgaard. From the beginning, the focus was on fruit from the southern end of Napa Valley, and that remains the case today. Kongsgaard has moved on to focus on his own well-known label, while consulting winemaker Andy Erickson has been on board since the 2005 vintage. Erickson presented five Arietta wines when I visited him at Favia late in 2022. Produced from the oldest plantings at Lee Hudson’s Carneros ranch, the 2020 Red Blend H Block Hudson Vineyard is primarily Cabernet Franc. Boasting expressive aromas of black cherries, cassis and a hint of tobacco, this is quite rich and ripe yet not heavy or overdone. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied, sitting somewhere between silk and velvet in terms of the texture, with a long, lingering finish. Complex and elegant, it’s a classic effort from this oft-maligned vintage. Drink 2024-2040.”