Arborum Proprietary Red Wine
Proprietary Red Wine
Napa Valley
The 2023 vintage in Napa Valley was extraordinary. In contrast to most recent growing seasons, which have been warm and dry, 2023 saw above-average winter rainfall, followed by a mild summer and fall. Cool temperatures and long “hang time” resulted in wines with dark, vibrant color and aromatic allure. The complex topography of our estate vineyard is reflected in the textured and nuanced character of our 2023 wines.
This latest offering of our Proprietary Red is a blend of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon from our estate and one-third Cabernet Franc from a nearby hillside vineyard. This cépage artfully presents the energy, subtlety, and detail that defines Napa Valley. The grapes were harvested at dawn, when they were cool, then were carefully sorted and fermented in small batches to highlight the individual personalities of each vineyard block. After a carefully controlled fermentation and maceration on the skins, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 20 months with minimal handling. Bottling without fining or filtration captured the essence of the vintage: balance, precision, varietal expression, and ageability.
Arborum 2023 Proprietary Red has remarkable purity, with red raspberry, marasca cherry, licorice, and “s’mores” aromas. It is at once precise and expansive, entering with a laser focus of red fruits and exotic spice, then flowing across the palate and leaving a lingering sensation of fruit-driven acidity, structured tannins, and notes of black cherry, star anise, flint, and clove. This wine has so much to offer in its youth, and will continue to blossom over the next two decades at least.
- Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 67%, Cabernet Franc 33%
- Fermented in French oak (70% new)
- Aged 20 months in barrel
- 344 cases produced
