Dear Arrowood Club Members,
I am thrilled to share three new releases for your fall club wines: the 2023 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, the 2022 Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2022 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Our team is proud to present these wines, and we hope they bring warmth and joy to your table this season.
One of the most exciting aspects of being the winemaker for Arrowood is the opportunity to work with incredibly diverse vineyards across Sonoma Valley, Knights Valley, and Alexander Valley. Each site produces wines that are truly singular. The Chardonnay in your release, for example, captures the cool maritime climate and rocky soils of the Durell Vineyard, showcasing a fresh, mineral-driven profile, which was further enhanced by the long and mild 2023 growing season.
You’ll also find a strong sense of place in the two Cabernet Sauvignons included in your shipment. The Knights Valley Cabernet teems with bold, dark fruit, reflecting the long growing season it enjoys at the base of Mount Saint Helena, while the Smothers-Remick Ridge expression shows finessed red fruit, a signature of its high-elevation site. Produced during the very hot 2022 growing season, these rare, balanced expressions reflect our team’s meticulous vigilance in the vineyard. By harvesting the grapes at the perfect moment, we were able to preserve the intense aromatics and flavors that make these wines approachable now, while retaining the vibrant acidity needed for long-term aging.
Thank you for being a part of the Arrowood family and supporting our journey and vision. It’s an honor to craft wines that reflect the complexity and beauty of these unique Sonoma County sites, knowing they are enjoyed and appreciated by you.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season,
Kristina Shideler, Winemaker
2023 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
Nestled in the southwest of Sonoma Valley, the iconic Durell Vineyard benefits from a maritime climate, with cool winds flowing in from the San Pablo Bay. Technically part of three AVAs (Sonoma Valley, Carneros, and Sonoma Coast), the vineyard's most distinguishing feature is its rocky soil, interspersed with clay sedimentary rock. Together, the climate and soil yield low quantities of intense and expressive Chardonnay. The 2023 vintage captivates with notes of white nectarine, candied orange, and honeysuckle. Rich and decadent on the palate, it reveals aromas of macadamia nuts and vanilla, while its persistent acidity and minerality provide a delightful surprise, culminating in a lingering, memorable finish.
2022 Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Perched at approximately 600 feet in elevation on Sonoma Mountain, the Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyard offers breathtaking views of Sonoma Valley. Here, the vines struggle for water in the rocky soils, yielding small berries that elevate the classic Sonoma Valley red fruit character to extraordinary heights. The 2022 vintage is intensely perfumed, exuding dark cherry and black plum decadence. Notes of dried violet and burnt sugar unfold on the palate, complemented by velvety tannins and a vibrant acidity that promises effortless aging for many years to come.
2022 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine showcases the bold character of the Kellogg Vineyard. Tucked into the foothills of Mount Saint Helena on the eastern border of Sonoma County, this site enjoys a long growing season, which develops the wine's signature dark fruit aromatics. On the nose, black forest fruit, fresh plum, and anise are nuanced with violet, pine resin, sage, notes of crème brûlée and clove. The palate is densely concentrated and intensely flavorful, with notes of blackberry, graphite, and cocoa nibs, reflecting the vineyard's fine, well-draining soils and the depth of this exceptional vintage.
