2014 Arietta Merlot Hudson Vineyard

The second least expensive wine from Arietta is their 2014 Merlot Hudson Vineyard from Los Carneros. This is a well-known vineyard on the Napa side of Carneros. Dark ruby/purple with plum, cherry and currant notes, it doesn’t possess quite the complexity of the Quartet, but is juicy, round and satisfying at a less provocative level. It is certainly very good Merlot, but lacks the complexity of his other offerings. Drink it over the next 7-10 years.

The 2014 Merlot Hudson Vineyards is gorgeous. Surprisingly, it is also richer, deeper and more pedigreed than the Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage. Exquisitely layered and supple, the 2014 possesses striking depth to match its creamy, inviting personality. Layers of plum, black cherry and mocha build into the supple, inviting finish. Naturally the 2014 is quite young. It can be enjoyed today, but readers who appreciate the complexity that develops only in bottle will have to be patient.

A deep, inky wine, the 2014 Merlot presents a super-intriguing mélange of dark fruit and savory notes, all with plenty of mineral underpinning. Graphite, smoke, sage and licorice are some of the signatures in a wine that has the depth and density to age. The Merlot could turn out to be a real overachiever.