This is why you should tell your kids to stay away from matches! Wood is dangerous! Had high hopes, but as I had hoped not, all I taste is wood and vanilla with some sugar and candy under it. This is another fine example of why you should not wait for the fruit to fade out of your Napa wine. Cuz all you get is wood! DRiNK...You could tell that this was good a long time ago...Maybe 5 years too late.
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Deep magenta-ruby color. Fragrant if a bit heavy handed on the nose, with lots of dark fruit, cedar, smoke, potpourri, and lots of oak. On the palate, there’s a lot of good fruit and nice medium-full body, but brought down by all the oak. Bitter oak tannins take over on the finish, completely out of balance. Shame.
Much better the second night—an experience I almost never have, even when other people do with the same wine. If you have a bottle of this, give it a good long decant.
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Arietta Dinner w/Fritz Hatton (NY Vintners (21 Warren Street)): Poured out of a magnum. This was one of the stars of the night. Blend of Syrah and Merlot (co-fermented) which is an interesting combination, but given the experience with this and the '12 really works. Love the spice and black fruits. It's approachable now, but the tannins seem to belie it could go longer. Really the type of wine that is made for steak (unfortunately not what we were eating it with).
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Popped and let breathe in bottle for an hour. Very smooth merlot at the beginning and throughout dinner. Approachable and supple. Soft cedar and sandalwood. Very prime. Never would have guessed syrah was involved.
After dinner, took remaining 1/3 of bottle out to patio (which was approx. 10 degrees warmer) and HELLO syrah! Really can't quite recall a wine that transformed like this. Many that change with air time, but not a total shift from grape profiles. Really interesting. 92+
I popped this given the recent release of the 2013 Ariettas. Have purchased various vintages from retailers from time to time over the years, but never straight from vineyard. Overall, nice experience and a smooth wine. Likely in its prime. But was not convinced that it is worth the sticker price they are asking for in the new vintage.
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very dark and rich, both in its inky color and in the depth of its mid-palate. Black cherry and cranberry fruit, some nice earth and leather notes and fairly strong tannins. A lovely and surprising variation!
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Color is a full body with purple tinges on the edges, nose is intensely full of spices, ripe berries, cigar box and bell peppers. Entry is on the heavier side with some glycerin, sweet notes, and solid tannins, body is full of concentrated fruit and finish is medium with a sense of smokiness. Strong effort for Napa as it is a wine that definitely showcases the ripe Merlot one encounters in this area, but adds a sweet and spice dimension from the Syrah.
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A nose of dark fruits and spice, dark garnet in color. A smooth full bodied red blend with currants, berries, tobacco and spice on finish, a very enjoyable and still young wine. Decant for a few hours.
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Non-blind. Decanted 4 hrs. Taken to restaurant. This was a tough call. 1. Chosen because of least consistent cork (of 3) as seen through the neck. 2. Open with happy anticipation! 3. Saddened by an unbearably burnt-rubber-nose. But made a happy discovery: Palate almost unaffected. 4. Chose to bring it to the restaurant anyway. 5. Dumb choice. 6. Learn from mistake and look forward to the remaining 2 btls.
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Interesting Syrah/Merlot blend tasted non-blind over two days with a 1-hr decant on day 1. Pours a very dark, inky purple. Nose of berries, smoke, oak, and hint of bacon fat and vanilla. Nice berry fruit on the mid-palate with hint of spice and tannin on the aftertaste. Very easy drinking for a oaked red with 14+% abv. Really taste the merlot on the back end with softer tannins that California Syrah/Cabernet generally. Sort of a midpoint between a Bordeaux and a Napa Cab. Drinking well now, and no reason to believe it will fade any time soon with plenty of fruit and hints of secondary/tertiary flavors.
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What a great bottle of wine; popped and poured. Black fruit, a bit of tar and smoke on the palate; well balanced and complex. Tremendous potential in this wine that has many years to evolve.
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My friend brought half a bottle over for me to try after he popped it for dinner. I had no clue about this wine until my friend told me Andy Erickson makes it. I smelled it, gave it a few sips big dense dark fruit, with palate staining tannins, shrill vanilla oak on the finish but the wine is lifted up by decent acidity. As the night went on the oak started to linger more and more, the mid palate's fruit and tannin are enjoyable but that finish is just that really piercing oak. I just chalked it up to another "Classic Andy Erickson Cabernet"
Suffice to sayI was surprised to find out that this wine is actually a mix of 55% Syrah and 45% Merlot.. I don't taste any Syrah in it and I don't taste any Merlot... what the what!?
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Arietta Tasting with Fritz (Domaine Storage - Chicago IL): Wine tasting. Blackberry and black cheery aromas with some sweet spice. Same flavor profile comes through on palate, supported by good balance and textures from acidity and tannins. My favorite tonight.
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Nice and dark with aromas of bright red berries, plum, and cherries with a hint of earth. Full bodied with chewy tannins and balanced acid. Red fruit and black currant prevail with a dry finish.
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5/1/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 89 Points
This is why you should tell your kids to stay away from matches! Wood is dangerous!
Had high hopes, but as I had hoped not, all I taste is wood and vanilla with some sugar and candy under it. This is another fine example of why you should not wait for the fruit to fade out of your Napa wine. Cuz all you get is wood! DRiNK...You could tell that this was good a long time ago...Maybe 5 years too late.
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2/16/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Fresh and vibrant acidity and red and black fruit. Good structure and balance. Earthy, leather and blackberries. This can last another 10 years
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8/29/2019 - JVG wrote:
Deep magenta-ruby color. Fragrant if a bit heavy handed on the nose, with lots of dark fruit, cedar, smoke, potpourri, and lots of oak. On the palate, there’s a lot of good fruit and nice medium-full body, but brought down by all the oak. Bitter oak tannins take over on the finish, completely out of balance. Shame.
Much better the second night—an experience I almost never have, even when other people do with the same wine. If you have a bottle of this, give it a good long decant.
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12/31/2016 - Wine Gent wrote: flawed
Flawed! Very bad vinegar sour taste. Not drinkable. New Year's Eve celebration.
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7/30/2016 - robdicks wrote: 90 Points
Eh--not my style. Bit spicy and not enough depth for the price
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5/19/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Arietta Dinner w/Fritz Hatton (NY Vintners (21 Warren Street)): Poured out of a magnum. This was one of the stars of the night. Blend of Syrah and Merlot (co-fermented) which is an interesting combination, but given the experience with this and the '12 really works. Love the spice and black fruits. It's approachable now, but the tannins seem to belie it could go longer. Really the type of wine that is made for steak (unfortunately not what we were eating it with).
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9/15/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and let breathe in bottle for an hour. Very smooth merlot at the beginning and throughout dinner. Approachable and supple. Soft cedar and sandalwood. Very prime. Never would have guessed syrah was involved.
After dinner, took remaining 1/3 of bottle out to patio (which was approx. 10 degrees warmer) and HELLO syrah! Really can't quite recall a wine that transformed like this. Many that change with air time, but not a total shift from grape profiles. Really interesting. 92+
I popped this given the recent release of the 2013 Ariettas. Have purchased various vintages from retailers from time to time over the years, but never straight from vineyard. Overall, nice experience and a smooth wine. Likely in its prime. But was not convinced that it is worth the sticker price they are asking for in the new vintage.
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5/16/2014 - ChrisGiggles wrote:
55 Syrah 45 Merlot. This needed an hour to open up, nice dark fruits, but slightly too much oak, and high alcohol heat on the tongue.
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5/9/2014 - whudock Likes this wine: 91 Points
very dark and rich, both in its inky color and in the depth of its mid-palate. Black cherry and cranberry fruit, some nice earth and leather notes and fairly strong tannins. A lovely and surprising variation!
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3/2/2014 - cns Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a very good bottle of wine and I really liked it. Balanced, good finish. Nice structure. It's just soooo not worth the price tag.
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1/20/2013 - farinas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color is a full body with purple tinges on the edges, nose is intensely full of spices, ripe berries, cigar box and bell peppers. Entry is on the heavier side with some glycerin, sweet notes, and solid tannins, body is full of concentrated fruit and finish is medium with a sense of smokiness.
Strong effort for Napa as it is a wine that definitely showcases the ripe Merlot one encounters in this area, but adds a sweet and spice dimension from the Syrah.
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12/31/2012 - ERH wrote: 94 Points
- It's balanced with a full body. Round texture with a medium finish.
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12/16/2012 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 91 Points
A nose of dark fruits and spice, dark garnet in color. A smooth full bodied red blend with currants, berries, tobacco and spice on finish, a very enjoyable and still young wine. Decant for a few hours.
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9/14/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: flawed
Non-blind. Decanted 4 hrs. Taken to restaurant.
This was a tough call.
1. Chosen because of least consistent cork (of 3) as seen through the neck.
2. Open with happy anticipation!
3. Saddened by an unbearably burnt-rubber-nose. But made a happy discovery: Palate almost unaffected.
4. Chose to bring it to the restaurant anyway.
5. Dumb choice.
6. Learn from mistake and look forward to the remaining 2 btls.
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8/5/2012 - Vstalam wrote: 92 Points
Interesting Syrah/Merlot blend tasted non-blind over two days with a 1-hr decant on day 1. Pours a very dark, inky purple. Nose of berries, smoke, oak, and hint of bacon fat and vanilla. Nice berry fruit on the mid-palate with hint of spice and tannin on the aftertaste. Very easy drinking for a oaked red with 14+% abv. Really taste the merlot on the back end with softer tannins that California Syrah/Cabernet generally. Sort of a midpoint between a Bordeaux and a Napa Cab. Drinking well now, and no reason to believe it will fade any time soon with plenty of fruit and hints of secondary/tertiary flavors.
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3/23/2012 - ClubTerry wrote: 90 Points
Seemed a little rough.
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1/21/2012 - mactheknife wrote: 94 Points
What a great bottle of wine; popped and poured. Black fruit, a bit of tar and smoke on the palate; well balanced and complex. Tremendous potential in this wine that has many years to evolve.
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11/10/2011 - clayfu wrote:
My friend brought half a bottle over for me to try after he popped it for dinner. I had no clue about this wine until my friend told me Andy Erickson makes it. I smelled it, gave it a few sips big dense dark fruit, with palate staining tannins, shrill vanilla oak on the finish but the wine is lifted up by decent acidity. As the night went on the oak started to linger more and more, the mid palate's fruit and tannin are enjoyable but that finish is just that really piercing oak. I just chalked it up to another "Classic Andy Erickson Cabernet"
Suffice to sayI was surprised to find out that this wine is actually a mix of 55% Syrah and 45% Merlot.. I don't taste any Syrah in it and I don't taste any Merlot... what the what!?
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10/4/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Arietta Tasting with Fritz (Domaine Storage - Chicago IL): Wine tasting. Blackberry and black cheery aromas with some sweet spice. Same flavor profile comes through on palate, supported by good balance and textures from acidity and tannins. My favorite tonight.
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5/6/2011 - GreatLibations wrote: 90 Points
Nice and dark with aromas of bright red berries, plum, and cherries with a hint of earth. Full bodied with chewy tannins and balanced acid. Red fruit and black currant prevail with a dry finish.
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