WINERY HISTORY
Arnot-Roberts was founded by childhood friends Nathan Lee Roberts and Duncan Arnot Meyers. Established in Healdsburg in 2001, the pair’s relationship with wine stretches much further back. Both Napa Valley natives, they grew up deeply rooted in the community, surrounded by vineyards, winemakers, and the agrarian rhythms of California’s wine country. Following their graduation from university, Nathan worked in the family trade as cooper, while Duncan took up assistant winemaking roles at iconic wineries like Kongsgaard, Caymus, Groth, and Wind Gap. It was these experiences that would provide them with the requisite talent and experience to found one of Northern California’s most exciting and unique wineries
Arnot-Roberts represents something of a paradigm shift for California wines. Early stewards of the ‘New California’ style, it was a cool vintage nearly twenty years ago that changed the path of the winery. Intrigued by the austere, high-acid style so radically different to the status quo in California, they began to craft site-driven wines from unheralded sites across the state. In a return to California pre-‘Parkerisation,’ the wines of Arnot-Roberts dazzle with brightness in their youth, developing in elegance and grace as they age.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
Arnot-Roberts' portfolio is as diverse as it is distinctive, featuring classics like Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay, alongside more esoteric varieties like Ribolla Gialla and Trousseau. Each wine is a testament to their belief in balance, integrity, and the expression of unique vineyard sites. Their selection of vineyards spans the state of California. From Napa to Santa Barbara to Clearlake, each bottling from Arnot-Roberts highlights the unique and varied terroir in which its fruit was grown. Their winemaking approach is a masterful blend of old and new techniques, combining indigenous fermentations, minimal use of new wood, and whole-cluster inclusion for reds. This allows them to produce honest and expressive wines from the vineyards they’ve made famous. Their Chardonnay echoes the practices of Dauvissat and Raveneau, while their Syrah draws inspiration from Gentaz and Juge.
The wines are known for their ability to evolve beautifully, showcasing the complexity and balance that define the world's great wines. In a landscape where winemakers often choose between outdoing or mimicking Old World styles, Arnot-Roberts uses these traditions as a muse, firmly planting their creations in California soil. Their work not only highlights the unique qualities of California's terroir but also sets a new benchmark for what Californian wines can be – vibrant, expressive, and capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's best. These wines are a celebration of the state's rich vineyard tapestry, and a reminder that true greatness in winemaking often lies in respecting and expressing the land's inherent character. They are, in every sense, the new classics of California wine.
GRAPE VARIETIES:
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. Syrah, Ribolla Gialla, Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Trincadeira, Grenache, Trousseau Noir
IN THE PRESS:
"Of the many start-up California wineries that have risen to prominence in the 2000s, few have achieved the influence, breadth of development and prolific line-up of Arnot-Roberts...[t]hrough an ever-expanding roster of vineyards throughout California, the pair hang their hats on a pure and seemingly effortless line-up of wines that accurately represent their origins." - Matthew Luczy, Decanter
"[T]he two men...are the embodiment of the new California story - proof that the state need not emulate wines from elsewhere or fall on programmatic, high-octane winemaking. It can exult in its own great possibilities." - Jon Bonné, SFGate
"These are wines stripped to their essence, all extraneous components removed to reveal the bare brickwork beneath. It’s exhilarating—as all upheavals must be. Roberts and Meyers are classicists, but all the same they are at the forefront of a revolution in California wine...They are modest revolutionaries...but serenely condifent." - The World of Fine Wine
