2005 Arietta On The White Keys
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Now fully mature, the 2005 On The White Keys is laced with generous candied apricot, mint, chamomile and caramel notes. Although quite exotic, the 2005 bears some resemblance in flavor profile to aged Champagne (without the bubbles of course). Because of its unctuous texture and sweetness, at this stage in its life, the 2005 is best enjoyed at the end of a meal. The 2005 was made with the highest percentage ever of Sémillon (35%), which no doubt contributes to the wine's personality and overall feel.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2005 may even be better but perhaps is just a year older, with more subtle bottle nuances such as honeysuckle, fig, and a touch of melon and lemon oil. Both are medium to full-bodied, very dry, seriously endowed wines that should be superb with an assortment of different cuisines. Tel. (707) 963-5918; Fax (707) 963-5919
(two-thirds sauvignon blanc from Sonoma Mountain and one-third semillon from Hyde Vineyard, all barrel-fermented) Bright pale yellow. Complex, vibrant nose melds lemon drop, fresh fig, minerals and crushed stone. Large-scaled but sharply delineated, with a strong rocky character to the citrus, spice and mineral flavors. Today the wine's semillon side dominates, but the unctuous texture of this superconcentrated white blend is nicely lifted by the sauvignon blanc element. Finishes with superb energy and length. (Incidentally, Fritz Hatton bought out his long-time partner John Kongsgaard last year; Kongsgaard vinified the '05s and Andy Erickson, who also makes Screaming Eagle and was recently appointed winemaker at Dalla Valle, took over winemaking responsibilities for Arietta before the 2006 harvest.)