Despite having over 40-plus acres of vineyards in the northeasterly sector of Napa just south of Calistoga, the production at Araujo remains relatively limited, with the flagship wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, producing between 1,600 and 2,200 cases of wine, and the second wine, the Altagracia, between 800 and 1,200 cases. Add to that another 1,000 cases of Sauvignon Blanc and 300-400 cases of Syrah, and there is just not a lot to go around given the greatness that can be achieved from this vineyard. Much of the credit has to go to proprietors Bart and Daphne Araujo and, of course, their top-notch winemaking team, which has always been led by Francoise Peschon. Araujo’s second wines are among the finest second wines consumers will find in northern California. For example, the Altagracia cuvees, which represent 25-35% of the production, have been outstanding examples of Cabernet Sauvignon. Araujo has done an excellent job with Syrah, which they typically co-ferment with 3-4% Viognier. Sadly, only 300-400 cases are produced.

The profound 1997 Solengo vino da tavola (a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon with a tiny dosage of Syrah) is spectacular. Opaque purple-colored, it displays a fabulously sweet nose of creme de cassis, new saddle leather, toasty new oak, licorice, and flowers. This wine boasts amazing richness, a huge, full-bodied impact on the palate (yet no sense of heaviness), low acidity, gorgeous ripeness, and a finish that lasts for 35+ seconds. I predict a brilliant future for this compelling proprietary red wine. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2016.

The dazzling 1997 Syrah Saralee\'s Vineyard was bottled with neither fining nor filtration. A blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier, it boasts wicked aromatics consisting of roasted meats, black fruits, cassis liqueur, and bacon. This succulent, fleshy, flamboyantly-styled Syrah is open-knit and accessible, but it is full-bodied, low in acidity, and loaded with fruit. It is a hedonistic Syrah to drink over the next 10-15 years.

The 2004 Vina El Pison is purple/black in color with an ethereal bouquet found only in the greatest wines. Vanilla, spice box, truffle, wild blueberry, black raspberry, and blackberry liqueur are descriptors that come to mind but which cannot really convey the other-worldy nature of this perfume. On the palate, it is opulent, beautifully delineated, elegant and powerful all at the same time. Impeccably balanced and amazingly long, this wine is a pleasure to drink now but will still be providing pleasure 40-50 years from now (with good storage). Kudos to Bodegas Artadi for this tour de force!

Made from a suitcase clone apparently smuggled in from the Montrachet Vineyard (as vineyard myth has it), there are 350 cases of the 2007 Chardonnay Reuling Vineyard, which possesses the most fabulous minerality of any California Chardonnay. Its steely backbone as well as its extraordinary depth of white currants, nectarines, quince, and honeyed citrus are both provocative and lingering. Full in the mouth, with outstanding acidity, this 2007 has the potential to be one of the half dozen or so finest Chardonnays ever made in California.

The flagship offering, and one of the most interesting blends from northern California, is the 2001 Proprietary Red Wine. Composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Sangiovese, and 14% Syrah, it is a structured, closed, but dense, promising, rich, deep, and full-bodied effort. Aromas of black fruits, loamy soil, incense, minerals, pepper, and cedar are present in this impeccably balanced offering. With good underlying acidity and ripe tannin, this knock-out red should handsomely repay cellaring. Give it 1-3 more years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 10-12.

This wine has an imperfection.