Blackbird Arise 2022 750ml

Product Info

91pts Wine Advocate
A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Arise Proprietary Red boasts attractive violet and herbal notes that add hints of berry tea and ripe cherries. It's medium to full-bodied, supple, ripe and fleshy in the mouth, with understated tannins on the mouthwatering finish. It's a super value to drink over the next decade. Drink Date: 2025 - 2035

One of Aaron Pott's two oldest clients (the other is Seven Stones), 2022 marks the 17th vintage Pott has worked with Blackbird. While originally founded as a single-vineyard estate wine in Oak Knoll District, Blackbird's grape sourcing is now much expanded under majority partners John and Julia Hinshaw. Pott has added grapes from such vineyards as Stagecoach, Shifflett Ranch and a site on Hennessey Ridge (separately owned by the Hinshaws). In principle, these wines are all blends, although most have a dominant variety, indicated in the tasting notes. Total production is around 5,000 cases annually.

The 2022s—based mainly from sources toward the southern end of Napa Valley—are showing really well. Perhaps a bit precocious and early-maturing, but they're still capable of drinking well for up to a decade. This tasting also includes a quick look at three 2023s, which, said Pott, "Are maybe 90% there—we won't finalize the blend until right before the bottling." These are more classic and potentially longer-lived than their 2022 counterparts.

Shrewd readers shouldn't overlook the entry-level wine here. The 2022 Arise looks to be one of the vintage's best values from Napa Valley (91 points, $60).Published: Feb 27, 2025  Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski

90pts Vinous Media
The 2022 Arise is a soft, plummy red to drink now and over the next few years. The blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot works quite well. Pretty floral top notes add brightness on the finish. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2032 - By Antonio Galloni on December 2024

Terroir & Vineyard
The wine is produced by Blackbird Vineyards in Napa Valley, California, under the guidance of winemaker Aaron Pott. The vineyards supplying Arise draw from high-altitude or cooler-climate sites within Napa, which help the grapes retain freshness and complexity despite the warm overall region. The soils are well-drained, often gravelly or loamy, allowing for good concentration and structure.

Winemaking

• The blend for the 2022 vintage is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot.
• Alcohol by volume (ABV) is 14.2%.
• The wine underwent fermentation using native yeasts and early pump-overs in stainless steel vats (for some lots) before ageing.
• Elevage: Approximately 20-21 months in French oak, with about 30% of the barrels being new.

Tasting Profile

• Appearance: Deep ruby red with youthful clarity and intensity.
• Nose: The aromatics open with black cherry, mulberry, dark plum, and cassis. Secondary scents include tobacco leaf, graphite, dried herbs, and hints of clove or nutmeg.
• Palate: Medium-to-full body; a strong dark-fruit core of blackberry, blackcurrant and dark cherry. The structure is given by fine-grained tannins and a well-balanced acidity. Mid-palate savoury/earthy notes—such as graphite, leather, loamy forest floor—emerge, ending with a long finish that carries dark licorice, cedar, and subtle spice.
• Finish: The finish is long and layered, with a mineral/gravelly undercurrent and lingering dark fruit and spice.

Drinking Window & Structure
This is a well-structured wine: while enjoyable now (especially with decanting), it also has the bones to evolve gracefully. Many reviewers suggest it will drink well over the next 8-12 years—or even longer in good cellaring conditions