Description
Michaël says: “When I moved to the USA in 2005, Arnot Roberts was one of the new kids on the block; there was a lot of excitement around them. I’ve always been amazed by the range that they produce; in colour and styles. When someone is predominantly a Cabernet producer and they make Pinot Noir, you can often tell it’s a Pinot from a Cab producer – whereas, with Arnot Roberts, they have this seamless movement with what they’re producing. I love their balance of embracing the New World, with a tip of the cap to the Old World, with such energy and restraint to the alcohol. Their wines are the true expression of their sites; they retain their spirit and identity. They might not be the newest kids on the block anymore, but year on year they continue to push themselves forward and are making consistently delicious wines. I’m a big fan of what they’re doing.”
Childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts are two of the most progressive and revolutionary producers on the California landscape. However, it was the 2005 vintage that truly set them on their path: a very cool vintage resulting in higher acidity and lower alcoholic ripeness, with which they fell in love and continued to pursue. This was the antithesis of common styles at the time.
Made from a collection of cool-climate vineyards across the Sonoma Coast, this Pinot Noir exemplifies what a deft hand can produce. Made with a large percentage of whole-bunch fermentation, natural fermentation and restrained use of oak it flies counter to the common expectations of ‘muscular’ and often overbearing Pinot Noir examples from the US. The wine hardly lacks flavour or intensity yet is able to embody the typicity of Pinot Noir. A small production winery with demand which far outweighs the available supply.
