With more than 500 wineries in the Napa Valley, it can be challenging for a new winery to stand out. For Arborum proprietors Caren and Nick Orum, it’s all about stepping back and letting the land do the talking. They operate out of a pocket of Napa that was once among the valley’s most iconic plots. It was first planted in the 1800s at the advice of pioneering winemaker Charles Krug, who guided the former owners to climb the vines up the steep, terraced hillsides. From the land, winemaker Hannah Weinberger (Napa’s first female winemaker) brought her wines to the World Expo in Paris and brought home high honors.
But then prohibition hit, and the property was enveloped by the wilds. When the Orums took over, the olive trees were overgrown, reaching up to twenty feet tall. It took serious elbow grease to pull up the weeds and replant vineyards up the slopes. They brought on legendary winemaker Andy Erickson, who was drawn to the land’s rich Napa history. The 100-point scores followed soon after. Arborum’s Proprietary Red–predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a kiss of Cabernet Franc—is absolutely gorgeous. It’s super-finessed with deep flavors of black fruit, cocoa, bay laurel, and fig. Critical acclaim aside, Arborum is keenly focused on giving back. 100% of earnings go to charitable organizations, from environmental causes (like Napa Land Trust and Save the Redwoods) to those that help support the Napa community. We’ll drink to that. $265
Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.
