A Wine of the Times

A Limited Edition Inaugural Wine from Bespoke Collection’s ÆRENA Wines, Unreliable Narrator Captures the Essence of 2018’s Mood of Uncertainty and Disbelief.

ÆRENA Wines introduces an annual collector’s bottling that taps into the zeitgeist of current culture. Brought to you by the winemaking team from Blackbird Vineyards, each bottle will feature artwork by some of the world’s most interesting artists, visually communicating the mood of the moment. For our inaugural 2015 vintage, Unreliable Narrator, we’re debuting Edward Hopper’s Night Shadows. Capturing a moment in time never to be repeated, this wine is a collectible treasure at a price point of $75 a bottle.

Unreliable Narrator is a socio-political statement of the times: an artful reflection of an unsettling year in human history when fake news, media meltdowns, alternative facts and twitter rants became the “norm.” Questioning, through a non-partisan lens who we can trust; from the leader of the free world to the US Attorney’s Office, clandestine services, or the press, Unreliable Narrator is both powerful and provocative, prompting us to really think about where we’re headed. Commemorating a year that left most in disbelief, this seductive Red reminds us to question the questioner and truly think for ourselves, making us wonder how it will all finish.

Wine Imitates Art
Making its first commercial appearance, Edward Hopper’s Night Shadows is a classic piece of artwork from our own private collection. Hopper’s use of clean lines, dark tonalities and strong compositional devices enhances the mystery of his chosen subject: a man on a mission in an empty city at night. The viewer becomes a voyeur, creating their own narrative of the man's destination at this late hour. Powerful and provocative, Night Shadows takes you into a world of the unknown. Guided by a solitary light, symbolic of the use of gaslighting in today’s socio-political landscape, our hero walks by himself. Where he’s headed is yet to be discovered.

Hopper's sensibility in Night Shadows forecasts the film noir style of the 1940s, with its shadowy lighting and undertones of guilt and betrayal. Unreliable Narrator’s thoughtfully selected artwork will leave you wondering...what lies beneath the cork?

“Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist. No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.” – Edward Hopper

The Vineyard
Mount Vedeer, a one-of-a-kind hillside appellation, is an island of ancient seabed pushed up into a mountain, surrounded by volcanic soils that typify the rest of the Napa Valley. Extremely steep slopes, above the fog, render shallow topsoil and minimal water retention, resulting in tiny berries with intense flavor concentration, yet soft tannins.

An Unforgettable Proprietary Red
Bold, mysterious, and outrageously unique, Unreliable Narrator reveals its true essence with each sip. Notes of plum, smoked duck, cola, mince meat, tobacco and black cherry on the nose mingle with briery blackberry, smoked meats, fennel sausage, brown sugar and chocolate on the palate. Unreliable Narrator provides a memorable attack and firm, youthful tannins with substantial weight and density.

Good extraction and supple mid palate lead to a long finish of cola, plum and cherry. A distinct and unforgettable wine of the times, Unreliable Narrator will have you drink in the beauty of the unknown, perhaps discovering that the fate of humanity lies perfectly in the balance.

The Inner Circle
Standing together as ÆRENA’s collector wines, Daring Greatly and our inaugural Proprietary Red, Unreliable Narrator, are the perfect pair. While Unreliable Narrator captures the essence of today’s socio-political climate of uncertainty, Daring Greatly reminds us that true authenticity always stands the test of time.

“Art and wine are inextricably linked as pure reflections of a life well lived. With Unreliable Narrator, ÆRENA Wines continues to celebrate and explore the provocative connection between the two.” – ÆRENA Founder, Michael Polenske