WIA Not Worthy!

Had you ever seen a bottle of Arietta… on sale before?!

Not since the unveiling of the first bikini in 1946 had something shocked the general public so deeply.

Quartet always brings big scores, and heaps of unmitigated praise from the serious collectors out there.

And it’s here, right now, at an unprecedented 35% off.

This time, it’s the first wine we’ve EVER featured made by the legendary Andy Erickson. You might recognize him as the guy who makes that Screaming Eagle stuff. Along with Ovid. And Favia. Leviathan, too. He spent 10 years at Harlan and Staglin. In terms of winemakers, he’s one of the most decorated, accomplished, and prolific in the game today.

And then there’s the grower - David Abreu. Undisputedly the best out there, consistently farming 100-point fruit epitomized by his own label, and the likes of Bryant Family, Colgin, Eisele, Grace Family, Harlan, Screaming Eagle of course… just to name a few!

Abreu + Erickson just does not compute at under $50. Add a zero to that for their AVERAGE worth a pop!

Anyways, back to this wine. It rocks. A blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot all selected from premium blocks in Napa. Good luck finding a stronger, more polished, downright classy red at this price. It delivers mouth-filling layers of rich blueberry, fig, and cherry jam upfront, with a charming background arrangement of cedar, earth, pencil lead, and savory spices. Very enjoyable right now, but you could lay this down and reap the benefits for years to come.

Drinking like a balmy Napa dream today, the early impressions were right when Antonio Galloni called it, “a delicious, very pretty and expressive Arietta that over-delivers” and Jeb Dunnuck affirmed, “loads of upfront fruit and character, loads to love!” And LOVE we do.

Such legacy here too, since 1996, Arietta being founded by two gurus, and Robert Parker became a fan overnight, “John Kongsgaard, produces these wines in partnership with master auctioneer Fritz Hatton. These striking offerings have a European sensitivity for elegance, structure, and delineation, but are clearly products of California, as evidenced by their prodigious ripeness as well as intensity. They are expensive, but impressive efforts that should be long-lived.”

Truly one of the best values in the premium Napa realm. Normally these wines are available via mailing list only and NEVER at a discount. 2020, as you know, was not a normal year and if there was one silver lining it’s the incredible deals we came across like this one…

Reward yourself one last round!

94 Points, Cellar Selection – Wine Enthusiast

“Dark and brooding, this blends 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. With savory, herbal components that contrast beautifully against the juicy plum and dark currant, the wine finishes in toasted oak. Enjoy best from 2027-2035”.

93 Points – James Suckling

“Lots of blackberries and ripe berries. Wild fruit. Turns to fresh leather. Full-bodied and firm with very tight yet velvety tannins. Long and flavorful with a dry end to it all. Fun. Drink or hold.”