2003 Arietta H Block Hudson Vineyard

(a 60/40 blend of cabernet franc and merlot): Good full ruby-red. Sweet aromas of balsamic plum, currant, mocha and licorice; I would have picked this as a Right Bank wine. Broad, plush and sweet, but with nothing cooked about it. A lightly herbal quality and some slightly edgy acidity contribute to an impression of vinosity. Finishes with firm but nicely supported tannins and sneaky persistence. This kind of wine is often overlooked in a vertical tasting, but this is very good.

Good full ruby-red. Brooding, pure aromas of black fruits, licorice and shoe polish; this smells like young, austere Bordeaux. Then slightly reduced and tightly wound in the mouth and currently dominated by its powerful structure. There are intense black fruits here, but the wine is in an awkward stage today, with the tannins currently dominating. Almost certainly better than it's showing: I'd wait at least three or four years before pulling the cork.

The deep ruby/purple-hued 2003 Proprietary Red H Block Hudson Vineyard (a 500-case blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as aromas of sassafras, underbrush, menthol, cassis, crushed rocks, and graphite. Although more closed than it was last year out of barrel, it reveals a beautiful texture, an explosively rich style, and a long, pure finish. I would not be surprised to see this wine merit a score in the mid-nineties once it sheds some of its tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+. This partnership between winemaker John Kongsgaard and auctioneer Fritz Hatton has produced distinctive, singular wines, with the H Block a California version of Bordeaux’s famed Cheval Blanc, and the Variation One a “who knows what the heck” blend of Merlot and Syrah. Think of it as a hybrid version of a Bordeaux Graves mixed with a Rhone Valley Hermitage. All of the current portfolio offerings are top-notch, although the 2004s are not up to the quality level of the last three vintages. Fax (707) 963-4512