One of the great things about Sonoma Wine Country is that there’s an experience for every intention. Sometimes, I’m in the mood to feel rich and pampered at a beautiful venue, drinking in the views as much as the wine. On other days, I want humbler surroundings at a place where it’s all about what’s inside the bottle. With its industrial setting and array of fascinating wines from across California, Arnot-Roberts is just the place to go low-key.
The story
Childhood friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts grew up together in the Napa Valley with close ties to the wine industry. Meyers’ dad, a local attorney, was good friends with legendary Clos du Val winery cofounder Bernard Portet. Roberts is the grandson of Margrit Biever Mondavi — it’s her botanical artwork that graces Arnot-Roberts wine labels — and his father cofounded a California-based cooperage. Like his dad, Roberts is a master cooper, and he began his wine industry career making barrels. The friends made their first wine together in 2001, and they cofounded Arnot-Roberts in Healdsburg a decade later.
The vibe
If you’re craving an Instagram-ready atmosphere with gorgeous vineyard views, you won’t find that at Arnot-Roberts. The winery is hidden along an industrial stretch of Healdsburg Avenue, just across the road from Memorial Beach Market and next to The Healdsburg School. Drive around back until you spot the Arnot-Roberts sign. Head toward the crush pad and you’ll see a rustic tasting bar set up on a small, shaded deck next to a lone fermentation tank. Glamorous? Nope. But the winery’s appeal lies in its authenticity. This is where sommeliers and other winemakers come to taste.
On the palate
Growing up in Napa Valley with exposure to “old Napa” wine cellars, Meyers and Roberts came to appreciate the reserved style of wines from the region’s earlier days — before points-chasing wineries adopted a “bigger is better” approach characterized by ultra-ripe flavors and high levels of alcohol.
Hailing from cool, maritime-influenced sites all over the state — including Roberts’ own Que Syrah vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation — Arnot-Roberts wines are about restrained elegance. Because Meyers and Roberts love to showcase uncommon varieties and interesting vineyards, they typically make a couple dozen small-lot wines each year, taking a low-intervention approach.
For $45, visitors can taste a different selection each week consisting of five to six wines. I immediately fell for the 2023 Trousseau ($35), a lighter-bodied red wine with perfumed aromas of red fruits and a silky texture. The 2023 Falanghina from Las Cimas vineyard in Russian River Valley ($32) is another charmer. With peachy aromas, this mouthwatering, Italian-style white is fresh and clean, with plenty of acidity. On the more traditional side, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon from Clajeux Vineyard in Chalk Hill ($125) is pure elegance. The wine has notes of black cherry and spice, and enough acidity to carry it into the next decade. Bonus: All of the Arnot-Roberts wines are in the lower-alcohol range of 11%-13% ABV.
Beyond the bottles
Downtown Healdsburg offers a plethora of upscale dining destinations, but sometimes all you want are some great, cheap tacos and a palate-cleansing Modelo. That’s when you head for Taqueria Guadalajara. Set in a strip mall on Healdsburg Avenue, this spot is a go-to for locals and vineyard workers — and a staff favorite at Arnot-Roberts. Definitely try the tomatillo salsa.
Arnot-Roberts, 33 Healdsburg Ave., Unit I, Healdsburg, 707-433-2400. Open Fridays and Saturdays by appointment. arnotroberts.com
Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, HuffPost, and Sonoma magazine. Follow Tina on Twitter @winebroad, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.