Arietta, Napa Valley (California) H Block of Hudson Vineyards Red Wine 2023 ($175)

This blend of Cabernet Franc (68%) and Merlot (32%) has good granular tastes of slightly spicy blackberries with a surprising undertone of whey, a nice kiss of oak, and a finish with mild tannins. Frankly, while this is a very nice wine, I wondered why there wasn’t “more” – more complexity or more seductiveness or even more assertiveness. The Carneros region of Napa Valley and Sonoma County, in spite of all its stellar vineyards, has not had a long history of producing great reds from Bordeaux varieties, which is one reason previous generations of growers preferred planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in this cooler climate. Not quite a conclusion, but certainly a question.
90 Roger Morris