Wine Enthusiast:  Rated as Excellent, extremely well made and highly recommended.  "A very nice red wine for drinking now with foods from all sorts of ethnicities and styles.  Made from a bunch of varietals, including Cabernet, Grenache and Tempranillo, the wine is dry and tannic, with deep flavors of blackberries, black currants, anise and sweet, smoky sandalwood."  Aug 2010

Winery:  "This finely crafted blend of varietals of three famous wine regions – Bordeaux, Rhone and Rioja – is brimming with lively dark cherry, ripe plum, cassis and juicy blueberries wrapped in a spicy bouquet of cinnamon, white pepper, clove and faint hints of black truffles. The flavor is true to the aromas and the texture is silky and supple. The wine is ready to enjoy now, yet has the structure to age gracefully for several years.  Grapes were harvested from 12 vineyard sites within Napa and Sonoma counties. The foundation of this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon from our Alexander Valley mountainside vineyard and Tempranillo from our Carneros Estate. The Alexander Valley vineyard is situated in a warm microclimate that produces aromatic berry fruit and supple body. In contrast, Carneros lies north of the San Francisco Bay and is buffeted by brisk winds and often is shrouded in fog. Tempranillo grown here is spicy, brooding and dense."

Wired For Wine:  This silky, supple California red will absolutely wow you with its mixed heritage from Bordeaux, the Rhone and Rioja.  What are you in the mood for, winelovers?  Pour a delicious first glass of this Artesa Elements Red Blend and sip it with a selection of grilled, garlicky lamb sausage, roasted balsamic plum tomatoes and a nutty Petit Basque cheese.  Heaven.  You might not need anything else.  If you summon the motivation to move to an entree, a classic favorite of ours is filet of beef crusted with panko crumbs and horseradish.  Serve it with creamy mashed potatoes and marvel at how well the gentle bite of the horseradish marries with the spicy side of this Artesa red.  The Tempranillo in this luscious red allows it to pair perfectly with game birds, so we say roast some quail and make sure everyone has a spoonful of tart/sweet cherry chutney on the side.  Wild duck will achieve the same goal with that chutney.  The lovely tannins in this Artesa Elements red are perfect for your favorite steak, grilled, or a couple of baby lamb chops.  Wild mushrooms and rice on the side for either of these choices will access the earthy, truffle side of this California blend.  Open one more bottle and put out a platter of room temperature Swiss Vacherin Fribourgeois cheese.  It's hearty and potent, with grassy, nutty flavor which will showcase the best of the Elements smokey earthiness.  Let's eat!

Size:       750ml
Varietal: 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Tempranillo, 20% Merlot, 18% Malbec, 11% Garnacha, 2% Petite Sirah, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Graciano, & 1% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol:  14.3%
Ageing:   18 months in 100% French Oak, 25% new
Region:   65% Sonoma County & 35% Napa County
Production: 4,400 dozen