Arnot-Roberts, 2021 Ribolla Gialla, Vare Vineyard, Napa Valley

This medium-bodied Ribolla Gialla has aromas of butter, créme fraîche, white mint, fresh sage, and hibiscus and some textures from neutral oak aging. 

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: California

APPELLATION (AVA): Napa Valley

REGION: Oak Knoll District

SUBREGION: Mount Veeder (eastern base)

VINEYARD: Vare Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: Ribolla Gialla (Gravner clone)

SOIL: Haire series, gravelly clay-loam

PRACTICE: Organic

VINIFICATION: Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with native yeast in stainless steel, then aged in neutral French oak for 10 months.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Straw yellow

BODY: Medium body

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Butter and créme fraîche, white mint, fresh sage, hibiscus

FLAVOR: Citrus, 

FORMAT: 750 ml 

ALCOHOL: 12%

SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION: Pair with white meats, root vegetables, white sauce, fried food.

ABOUT THE 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. (arnotroberts.com)

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: “Ribolla Gialla is alive and well in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley thanks to George Vare. George fell in love with Ribolla Gialla in the early ‘90s while traveling in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Northeastern Italy, and committed to bringing this variety home to California. Cuttings were taken from Josko Gravner’s heralded vineyard in Friuli and suitcased into the United States, signaling the first arrival of this ancient variety in California. In 2001, George and Elsa planted the cuttings in their home vineyard at the foot of Mt. Veeder in the Western Napa Valley. The soils here are deep, alluvial, gravelly clay-loam and the vines are densely-planted, encouraging competition between the vines. The site benefits from early afternoon shading, while daytime temperatures are moderated by proximity to the adjacent redwood-forested slopes of Mt. Veeder. Farmed to perfection by Steve Matthiasson, this vineyard will continue to produce exceptional, age-worthy and singular Ribolla Gialla for years to come.” (arnotroberts.com)