Arrowood Wine Club Spring 2026 Release
Dear Arrowood Club Members,
I’m delighted to share your April release, a collection that celebrates the depth and character of Sonoma’s 2022 vintage. This shipment brings together four remarkable Cabernet Sauvignons alongside the decadent yet vibrant Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay.
Leading this release is our pinnacle wine, the 2022 Réserve Spéciale Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 1992, the core of this wine has been sourced from Smothers-Remick Ridge, and in 2022 we again drew from this legendary vineyard—alongside McKinley on Sonoma Mountain, the famed Monte Rosso, and Kellog Vineyard—to craft a Cabernet that is all about textural harmony. Each site contributes its own personality, and though the vintage nuances shift year to year, the wine’s power, poise, and undeniable ageability remain its signature. The 2022 Knights Crown Cabernet Sauvignon showcases itsdark-fruited, savory nature with an elegance that belies the rugged terrain it comes from. Sitting at 500 feet and accessible only by four-wheel drive, this vineyard produces Cabernet of intensity and structure—refined beautifully through 32 months of barrel aging. This release also marks the return of Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time since 2016. Perched nearly 1,000 feet up the Mayacamas range in the Moon Mountain District, Monte Rosso is one of Sonoma’s most storied vineyards. Its iron-rich soils yield Cabernet of striking color, depth, and complexity, once again polished by 32 months in barrel.
While the 2022 growing season brought periods of notable heat, our vineyard team’s diligence ensured we harvested fruit at ideal ripeness. The resulting wines are generous and expressive now, yet built with the structure to evolve gracefully over time.Thank you for being part of the Arrowood family. It is a privilege to craft wines from these extraordinary Sonoma County sites and to share them with you. Here’s to savoring the season ahead.
Many thanks,
Kristina Shideler, Winemaker
INSIDE YOUR SPRING SHIPMENT
2022 Réserve Spéciale Cabernet Sauvignon
As one of the most remote AVAs in Sonoma County, Knights Valley sits tucked between Napa and Alexander Valley, protected from harsh ocean influences. This unique, moderated climate allows for a longer growing season, coaxing deep and dark fruit aromatics from the vines. Fine-textured soils provide excellent drainage even at lower elevations, producing the small berries necessary for powerful tannins and dense structure. The 2022 Reserve Speciale is bold and intensely flavorful, opening with a heady bouquet of black forest fruit, fresh plum, and anise. Nuanced layers of violet, pine resin, and sage unfold on the palate, accented by sophisticated notes of crème brûlée, graphite, and cocoa nibs.
2022 Knights Crown Cabernet Sauvignon
Perched 500 feet above the valleys below, the Knights Crown Vineyard sits at the rugged intersection of Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, and Knights Valley. This remote, southwest-facing site was planted in 1995 and remains so secluded that it is accessible only by four-wheel drive, often shared with the local longhorn cattle. From the "Encino" block, named for the regal oak tree standing among the rows, the vines produce a Cabernet Sauvignon of singular expression and deep purple intensity. The 2022 vintage is exotic and vibrantly fruit-forward, exuding classic aromatics of fresh plum, violet, and fig. After refining for 32 months in barrel, the wine reveals a bold, rich structure with lingering flavors of toffee and cocoa nibs that leave the palate begging for another sip.
2022 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon
Originally planted in 1880, the iconic Monte Rosso Vineyard sits at nearly 1,000 feet on the southwest hills of the Mayacamas Mountains. This historic site is famous for its bright red, iron-rich volcanic soils, which produce a Cabernet Sauvignon of incredible darkness and intensity. The 2022 vintage perfectly embodies the vineyard's rugged mineral character, leading with an expressive core of wild blackberries and unique aromatics of pencil lead, red peppercorn, and juniper. On the palate, the wine is an absolute treat, offering loads of structure and a flawless finish that reflects its high-elevation origins. Full of complexity and intrigue at every level, this is truly a wine to treasure and cellar for the next 30 years.
2022 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Nestled in one of the most remote corners of Sonoma County, Knights Valley benefits from a moderated climate that allows for a long, slow ripening season. In these fine-textured soils, the vines produce small, concentrated berries that yield a wine of immense power and dense structural integrity. The 2022 vintage is bold and intensely flavorful, exuding a complex bouquet of black forest fruit, fresh plum, and anise. Nuanced layers of violet, pine resin, and wild sage unfold on the palate, beautifully accented by sophisticated notes of crème brûlée, graphite, and cocoa nibs.
2023 Durrell 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.
