Team
Caren and Nick Orum
Caren and Nick met in 1994 in their mid 20s and within a year relocated from New York to California. In 1999, seeking refuge from the cold coastal summers, they bought a six-acre property in Calistoga, a weekend retreat surrounded by Napa Valley’s natural beauty and legendary wines.
As their love for the valley grew, so did their hopes of putting down literal roots—vineyards. This led to the purchase of their historic St. Helena property in 2013. With acres for their children to adventure in and a terroir ideal for winegrowing, the estate fulfilled their longtime dream. The name Arborum honors both the family and forest.
After the painstaking process of studying and preparing the land and establishing the vineyard, in tandem with their all-star vineyard management and winemaking teams, Arborum welcomed its first grape harvest in 2021. Caren and Nick believe making something beautiful can also be meaningful, and they actively support the Napa Valley community and the environment through Arborum.
We love creating opportunity for others as we share our passion for making great wine.
Caren Mayer Orum
Caren and Nick Orum
Nick Orum
Nick is co-CEO of a San Francisco–based investment company that he helped found in 1995. Though his roots in the Bay Area go back to his undergraduate days at Stanford, his career began in New York, where he and Caren first met. In 1994, he made the happy mistake of bringing her to San Francisco. Seeing it for the first time, she declared, “I don’t know where you’re planning to live, but I’m moving here!” The rest is family history.
Caren Mayer Orum
A graduate of Emory University, Caren pursued a career in finance, becoming managing director at an investment bank in San Francisco. She has devoted most of the past two decades to raising the couple’s three bright, curious, energetic children and putting her talents to work on various volunteer boards and organizations. Caren and Nick live with their family in Mill Valley, north of San Francisco, and spend as much time as possible under the trees at Arborum.
Our Dream Team
Andy Erickson
Andy Erickson’s impressive background and collaborative, immersive winemaking style are a perfect match with Arborum. Calling the property “a real sweet spot” in the Napa Valley, Andy says, “There’s a feeling you get when walking a piece of ground and you sense something magical can happen—that you can create a wine that reflects that special place.”
We want the vineyard to shine through.
Andy Erickson Winemaker
Andy Erickson
Believing that winemaking begins with farming, Andy is involved in the process from vineyard to bottle. Along with his long-time Senior Associate Winemaker, Jessica Tarpy, he is in the vineyard at least every week and partners with vineyard management on decisions from pruning to picking. “Our team’s vineyard walks are some of the highlights for me out here,” he says. Jessica notes, “Our close collaboration with the vineyard team pays off in spades when it comes to harvest. It gives us vital information we need during winemaking and is key to our process. It helps the site show itself.”
Andy’s winemaking reflects the best of what the vineyard can produce with wines that highlight the site’s unique character. “Our winemaking style stays in the background; we intentionally don’t put a fingerprint style on the wines. Instead, we want the vineyard to shine through. The cool part is when Caren and Nick pour wine that stops people in their tracks.”
Jessica Tarpy sorting Arborum Cabernet Sauvignon
Renteria Vineyard Management
Oscar Renteria and his team at Renteria Vineyard Management specialize in the vine-by-vine method of farming that Nick and Caren envisioned for Arborum. Led by Oscar and COO Rob Whyte, their team firmly believes that nothing can take the place of walking the vineyard to truly understand it and farm it well. Simply put, hands-on farming is in their DNA.
Renteria also embraces modern technology in every aspect of grape growing, using cutting-edge equipment to monitor and respond to the needs of each individual vine. This combination of tradition and technology makes precision farming at Arborum so successful.
Every day in the vineyard is a good day.
Rob Whyte Renteria
The Renteria Vineyard Management team and Rob Whyte during harvest at Arborum
Alyssa Kellogg-Black
Alyssa comes to Arborum from some of our most esteemed Napa Valley neighbors, and her warmth, energy, and authenticity align perfectly with us. During her time at Lokoya, Far Niente, and Plumpjack, Alyssa helped people experience the joy and magic of fine wine. As Arborum’s Brand Director, we are excited for Alyssa to share Arborum’s own special story.
Alyssa Kellogg-Black in the Arborum Estate Vineyard