2023 Arietta Quartet Napa Valley

Regular price $79.98

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The 2023 Arietta Quartet is one of Napa Valley's most compelling Bordeaux-style blends, offering the pedigree of a boutique cult producer at a price that remains remarkably accessible. Crafted by acclaimed winemaker Andy Erickson (Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Ovid), Quartet combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot from some of Napa's finest vineyard sites. Unlike Arietta's flagship single-vineyard bottlings, Quartet is designed to be approachable in its youth while retaining the structure to reward a decade or more in the cellar.

The 2023 vintage is beautifully expressive, opening with aromas of blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, plum, violets, graphite and cedar, accented by hints of cocoa, tobacco leaf and baking spice. The palate is polished and energetic, balancing Napa's generous fruit with impressive freshness and precision. Fine-grained tannins frame layers of cassis, dark cherry, espresso and crushed stone, leading to a long, refined finish that is both savory and elegant.

The cooler, longer 2023 growing season has given the wine exceptional balance, with vibrant acidity supporting its rich core of fruit. While delicious today with an hour of decanting, the wine has the structure to evolve gracefully over the next 12–15 years, gaining additional complexity and nuance.

Perfect pairings: grilled ribeye, herb-crusted lamb, braised short ribs, duck breast with cherry reduction, or aged Gouda and Comté.

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Founded in 1996, Arietta is one of Napa Valley's most respected small-production wineries, created by renowned wine auctioneer Fritz Hatton, his wife Caren Frutig Hatton, and legendary winemaker John Kongsgaard. The winery was born from a shared passion for fine Bordeaux-inspired wines and classical music, with its name taken from the serene final movement ("Arietta") of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111. That musical inspiration continues to define the winery's philosophy: wines of harmony, balance, and elegance rather than sheer power.

From the beginning, Arietta focused on sourcing exceptional fruit from Napa's finest vineyards rather than owning an estate, with the historic Hudson Vineyards in Carneros serving as the cornerstone of the portfolio. The inaugural wine centered on Hudson's famed H Block Cabernet Franc, a site that remains Arietta's flagship bottling today. As the winery evolved, it expanded to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, the Bordeaux-style Quartet, and the Sauvignon Blanc–Sémillon blend On The White Keys.

In 2005, the Hattons became the sole owners and brought in acclaimed winemaker Andy Erickson—whose résumé includes Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Staglin, and Dalla Valle—to lead the next chapter. Erickson has refined Arietta's signature style: Bordeaux-inspired blends that emphasize precision, freshness, and age-worthiness, placing Arietta among Napa's elite boutique producers while maintaining an understated, Old World sensibility.

Shipping Policy

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Unless your delivery address is on the West Coast, we strongly discourage you from selecting “Ground Service” as your shipping method. During the winter and summer months, weather conditions (temperature) and longer delivery times can often result in the spoilage of your order. It doesn’t make sense to invest in fine wines and then take the chance of ruining them due environmental factors during transit (faster and safer delivery generally isn’t much more expensive). We don’t make an additional profit on accelerated delivery, but we frequently recommend faster shipping options to our customers outside the West Coast.
You must be 21 years of age to order or receive alcoholic beverages. Any shipments containing alcoholic beverages are sent with an “Adult Signature Required” sticker, and the common carrier that delivers our merchandise is required to ask and check for identification upon delivery. This means that an adult will have to be present at the time of delivery. Please consider shipping to an office address.
During periods of extreme weather, we attempt to ship wines at the beginning of each week in order to get shipments to you before the weekend. This is because we have no control over the temperature conditions at our freight carriers’ warehouses. The result may be that your shipment doesn’t go out the day that you place an order.
We ship by Fedex or Fedex Ground. Our prices include packaging materials. Insurance may be available for an additional charge.
Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. will arrange for shipment on behalf of the buyer, to an address specified by the buyer, provided that Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. in its sole judgment believes that such shipment will not subject Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. to the risk of any sort of legal action or other harm. If a buyer lives in a state where the direct shipment of wine by Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. violates the law, we suggest that the buyer provide an alternative address in another state or have their wine shipped to a third-party storage facility in a direct shipping-friendly state.
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