Winery History
Childhood friends Nathan Roberts and Duncan Arnot-Meyers founded their Sonoma winery in 2001. Nathan grew up around wine thanks to his grandmother’s marriage to Robert Mondavi and his father’s career as a cooper (Nathan now makes all the barrels for Arnot-Roberts), while Duncan had spent years making wine at Caymus, Groth, Kongsgaard and with Pax Mahle at Wind Gap. Initially their focus was just on making great Californian wines, but when the cool 2005 vintage gave them wines in a more austere, high acid style than the region was used to, Nathan and Duncan reacted completely differently to practically everyone else in California – they loved them and decided to pursue lower ripeness levels and higher acidity in all of their wines henceforth.
They were one of the first to pioneer a movement in California that is now deemed as "The New Calfornia Wine." Along with a small group of fellow trailblazers, Arnot-Roberts have led the way in helping redefine what California wine can be and taste like. Like all great winemakers, the cornerstone of their approach starts in the vineyard. They are dedicated to finding super distinct and unique sites from Mendocino in the North to the Santa Cruz Mountains South of the Bay Area.
Viticulture/Winemaking Style
After 2005, their focus shifted to the best cool climate sites they could find, most of which were struggling to sell their fruit due to the obsession with high sugar levels that was pervasive at the time. Vineyards like Clary Ranch, Fellom Ranch, Luchsinger and Griffin’s Lair are lauded today, but not long ago it was only Nathan and Duncan that wanted their fruit. The winemaking at Arnot-Roberts is decidedly low-intervention, with spontaneous fermentations and no interventions aside from conscientious additions of SO2. Their wines are are balanced with a deep sense of Californian terroir, all have a refined and elegant structure, and are deliciously complex from their 'table wines' to their 'grand crus'.
Grape Varieties
They work with the classics like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, but not afraid to experiment with the esoteric such as Ribolla Gialla, Trousseau, and Gamay.
Fun Fact:
Duncan and Nathan have two adorable winery dogs named Bowie and Django.
