Arietta Variation One Vertical 2003-2004 750 ml

This is as rare as Napa Valley buying opportunities get. Grown on the famed Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, both bottles boast the winemaking genius of Arietta’s original winemaker, the legendary John Kongsgaard, known as one of the most exacting craftsmen in Napa Valley.  

Comprising Syrah and Merlot in nearly equal proportions, Variation One’s closest cousin in the world of wine might be Third Growth Château Palmer’s Historical XIXth Century wine ($300+), a regal bottling that combines estate Margaux fruit with top-class Hermitage. 

With cellar-direct provenance and nearly 20 years of beautiful bottle bouquet, these are wines to pour for your most avid collector friends, whether they love Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, or California Cabernet. It’s safe to say that, short of securing a dinner invitation to Chez Hatton, this will be your only opportunity to taste these two-decade-aged wines. And thanks to our friendship with Fritz and Caren, we’ve got them for barely more than they cost on release so many years ago! 

Kongsgaard’s blending mastery is on full display in these wines, whose savory and floral tones harmonize with symphonic grace and elegance. After fermentation, Variation One is aged in new French oak for around 22 months, which adds structure and spice notes that keep the wines singing over time. Today, the 2003 has a rounder, more voluptuous mouthfeel, and the 2004 is a bit sleeker and more focused.

Any way you cut it, these are some of the most special and cellarworthy wines made in Napa Valley, and they have been aged to perfection for you.