2020 Arnot-Roberts "Que Syrah Vineyard" Syrah, Sonoma Coast, California, USA
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ABOUT THIS WINE
Que Syrah Vineyard is a true gem on the Sonoma Coast. The vines were planted above the town of Occidental in 1994 by Al and Virginia Rago, about three miles from the Pacific at 850’ elevation. This is the oldest planting of Syrah on the Sonoma Coast, and credit goes to both the Ragos and to Ehren Jordan for being true mavericks in cool-climate farming of this grape variety in California. With no reference point at that time for Syrah planted in such a cold area, they named the vineyard as a play on the Spanish phrase “que sera, sera” that translates to “whatever will be, will be.” Beginning in 2013, we became the lucky stewards of this site and now have complete control over the farming with the care of Greg Adams and his crew. Our first efforts from the vineyard have exceeded our high expectations, and we are raising the bar every year by replacing weak and dead vines and updating the trellis system in 2018. The vines at Que Syrah enjoy a long and cool growing season and are naturally self-regulated, finding their balance of canopy to fruit nicely on this forested coastal ridgetop. The wines we have made to date are electrifying in their spicy, aromatic personality and fill the glass with a mix of brilliant fuchsia color and vibrant briary fruit. Que Syrah has already shown strong potential in our cellar and, like the great wines of the Northern Rhone Valley, we look forward to unlocking its riches for years to come as bottles mature in the cellar.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Arnot-Roberts was founded in Healdsburg in 2001 by childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts. Beginning with one barrel of wine made in their basement, the winery started small and grew slowly by sourcing grapes from some of the most remarkable vineyards in California. Duncan and Nathan grew up together in the Napa Valley and from an early age were immersed in the rhythm of agrarian life surrounded by the vineyards and winemaking of the early 1980’s. Both of their families, while not directly involved in winemaking, were deeply rooted in the community as chefs, coopers, teachers and attorneys in what, at the time, was a small up and coming wine region. After college, the duo followed their passion into the wine industry with Nathan joining his father as a cooper of oak wine barrels and Duncan pursuing winemaking in several renowned wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties.
The focus of Arnot-Roberts is to produce distinctive, site-driven wines that highlight the nature of the unique terroirs in which the grapes are grown. The journey to this end has led Duncan and Nathan to seek out vineyards throughout Northern California and now includes incredible sites in Napa Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Rita Hills, Clearlake and Sierra Foothills. Single-vineyard wines are the core of the production as well as a few appellation bottlings that clearly speak of their individual upbringings. Some of the vineyards are old and dry-farmed, some are newer plantings but all are farmed and cared for by passionate and conscientious growers, which is paramount to the fundamental goal of Arnot-Roberts: producing the most honest and expressive wines possible.