Wines of the Week: 
2020 Arnot Roberts California Touriga Nacional Rosé Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY! 2018 Details Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon Normally $42.99–$36.54 15% Off This Week ONLY! * * * About the Wines of the Week: 2020 Arnot Roberts California Touriga Nacional Rosé Normally $29.99–$25.49 15% Off This Week ONLY!  
About the Winery 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. 
About the Wine Located within the Luchsinger Vineyard, this vineyard’s backstory is one we strive to seek out and cultivate an understanding here at TFW. Bernie Luchsinger emigrated to the United States in the mid 1960s from Chile and planted his vineyard in Kelseyville thirty years later. Now, Bernie along with his daughter Pilar are growing some of the most interesting grape varieties that Arnot-Roberts work with: both the Trousseau, and the Touriga Nacional for the rosé. Sustainably farmed, the vineyard is planted at 1400’ on volcanic alluvium soils laid over ancient riverbed cobblestones in the Big Valley area west of Clear Lake, the second largest natural body of water in California after Lake Tahoe. These varieties both thrive in the long, warm days and cool nights of the Big Valley, and retain their acidity and personality well in this arid environment. The team at Arnot-Roberts are lucky to have pioneers like the Luchsingers who were willing to take a risk with relatively unknown varieties in an effort to find what was best for their land, and in turn, gave them the opportunity to start something fresh. Duncan and Nathan are fortunate for the gorgeous fruit cultivated each year under the watchful eyes of the Luchsinger family. * * * 2018 Details Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon Normally $42.99–$36.54 15% Off This Week ONLY  
About the Team Never one to sit still for long, Vintner and General Manager David Sinegal’s work experience runs the gamut from Costco and Frito Lay to start-up and joint venture companies. David is a keen business strategist and visionary with a passion for marketing and innovation. And, of course, an unabashedly obsessive eye for detail. David believes that in order to do anything well, one must be fully invested. That’s why he and his family now live on the property – so he can sleep at the “office.” Being at the Estate full-time inspires David every day to create a 360-degree guest experience that includes exceptional wine, delicious food, and a remarkable environment. Winemaker Ryan Knoth had a previous life– in biotech, with a degree in biology and chemistry from Cal Poly State University. Understanding intensity and precision as a biochemist led him into the art of winemaking. In the vineyard and the winery, he is constantly making scientific and creative decisions along the way. Combining new technology and science with centuries-old techniques and practices he attempts to attain the purest articulation of vintage and site expression in each wine he crafts. Since joining the wine industry, Ryan has had the pleasure of working under the expert tutelage of David Abreu, Michel Rolland, and Fredrik Johansson at Staglin Family Vineyard and Jim Barbour & Philippe Melka at Gandona Winery. 
About the Wine The 2018 Details Cabernet Sauvignon is a lovely example of a wine crafted from one of the best vintages the team has seen in Sonoma in recent memory. After years of hot weather and early harvests, 2018 is a welcome return to a “normal” vintage, with no major weather events, long hang times and perfect ripeness in the vineyard. The balance of concentrated fruit, soft polished tannins and bright acidity showcases a wine that will delight on many levels. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from the finest appellations in Sonoma County. The majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon for the blend comes from a premier hillside site in Sonoma Valley, which hugs the mountains behind Oakville, east of Kenwood. Both Knights Valley and Alexander Valley are exemplary climates for Cabernet Sauvignon, which bring elegance, nuance, and structure to the blend. Enticing aromas of violets and ripe raspberries are followed by notes of sage, allspice, and a touch of balsamic reduction. Flavors of black currant and blueberry compote are met with earthy mineral notes and a fresh acidity, which elevates the finish. Aged for 16 months in 55% new French Oak barrels. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot * * * Also Tasting Today: 2019 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc $54.99  
About the Winery One of California’s first woman winemakers, Merry Edwards began her career at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1974. She went on to become the founding winemaker at Matanzas Creek in 1977 and remained there until 1984. For the next decade, Merry consulted for numerous wineries, large and small, in Oregon and many diverse appellations of California. In 1997, family and friends joined Merry to found Merry Edwards Winery, with a focus on producing Pinot Noirs with a sense of place from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. Living her dream, she and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, now manage five estate vineyards: Coopersmith, Cresta d’Oro, Flax, Georganne and Meredith. In 2001, a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc blend was added to the portfolio. In 2013, Merry’s 40th year as a winemaker, not only was she inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame, she also won the coveted James Beard Foundation Award for Best Wine, Spirits or Beer Professional in the United States, becoming just the fourth woman to win the honor. 
About the Wine As a young winemaker in the 1970s, Sauvignon Blanc was not Merry’s first choice among varietals. Therefore the challenge in making the first Sauvignon Blanc in 1979 was to create a wine Merry could personally enjoy. Fast forward to 2021 and the team at Merry Edwards still continues to produce the same style that took many years to refine. Barrel fermentation, lees-stirring regimes, inclusion of the Sauvignon Musqué clone in the blend, French oak selection and strains of special yeast were all areas of experimental focus. The aim has been to elevate the varietal to the stature it deserves, as one of the two great white wines of the world. The result has been lauded as a stunning wine–unique among its peers. The translucent, aurora-gold hue of this wine predicts what’s to come in the glass. Mouthwatering and luscious, its aroma overflows with tree-ripened fruit–nectarine, quince, peach and Fuji apple–as well as a hint of floral perfume and tropical notes of ripe, juicy pineapple, passion fruit, papaya and mango. Sophistication has come early for this wine with a strong impression of developing minerality. In the mouth, it’s round, lush and vibrantly balanced across the palate. Richness and weight counterbalance bright acidity supported by flavors of tangerine, lemon zest, candied orange peel and sweet pink grapefruit. The finish is luxurious, lingering on well beyond any rational expectation. * * * Cocktail Recipe of the Week: 
El Diablo Ingredients: 45 ml La Gritona Reposado Tequila 15 ml Giffard Crème de Cassis d'Anjou (Blackcurrant) 20 ml lime juice Ginger ale, to top off Lime wedge, for garnish Directions: Ice up half of the glass with crushed ice
Pour the gin, lime juice and sugar syrup
Churn to incorporate ingredients
Slowly pour the crème de mûre to create a marbling effect
Garnish & serve! Cheers and Enjoy! * * * Snack of the Week: 
Murray's French Creme Double Brie This butter bomb is your excuse to go nuts—the pleasantly mild, exceptionally creamy wedge is just begging for your creative touch. Layer with apple slices, bake in puff pastry, and serve alongside warm caramel for an dessert beyond decadent, or spread on focaccia and top with roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs for a stellar starter. However you choose to show off your cheese-serving prowess, be sure to allow this luscious wedge, fashioned from fresh cow’s milk before developing a velvety white rind, to warm to room temperature for full unctuous potential. Balance all that butter with a sparkling white, like a fruity Prosecco or a crisp Cava. * * * |
