1999 Arietta Red Wine Napa Valley

(94 points  --  Wine Advocate)

The 1999 Proprietary Red (a 500-case blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot) offers a dense ruby/purple color as well as a gorgeous Bordeaux-like bouquet of mocha, menthol, scorched earth, black cherries, currants, smoke, and toasty oak. The wine is expressive and full-bodied, with stunning concentration yet admirable delineation. Its moderately high tannin in the finish suggests considerable patience is warranted. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025." (08/02) 93(+?) points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Full ruby. Scented nose of blueberry, graphite, licorice and wild herbs, with a slight medicinal quality I associate with this vintage. Dense, sweet and fat, with superb depth of flavor and compelling sweetness. Finishes with big, tongue-dusting tannins. Less obvious today than the 2000 but this has terrific structure and potential." (May/Jun 02) 92 points Wine Spectator: "A touch earthy and leathery, giving it a sense of dryness, with leather-mineral-scented tannins, this is a dark, rich, high-extract, muscular style that needs time to reveal its depth and complexity, with chewy currant, herb, anise, mineral and earth flavors. Will benefit from short- to mid-term cellaring. Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2003 through 2012. 300 cases made." (04/02)  Robert Parker