2023 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Sonoma Coast 750 ml

Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts were practically revolutionaries when they launched their eponymous winery in 2001. They were the vanguard of the “New California,” making throwback wines whose structure, freshness, and purity recalled not only the great Cali wines of the 70s and 80s, but the Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Rhône bottles that inspired them.

Now, their wines are on too many Michelin-starred wine lists to count—The French Laundry, SingleThread, Eleven Madison Park, and on it goes—Arnot-Roberts is firmly in their Golden Age. 

The Sonoma Coast Syrah is their calling-card bottle: It’s sourced from three stunning vineyards and made in the same style as their higher-end, collectible wines, though it’s priced to be poured spontaneously. Vibrant and peppery, with floral tones and beautifully bright dark-berry fruit, it’s “outrageously beautiful,” in the words of Antonio Galloni.

To get a sense of the esteem that Arnot-Roberts commands, look no further than the pages of Decanter magazine, who devoted a full 1,500 words to profiling the winery in 2020. They declared the winery has “shifted both the landscape and expectations of what the state can deliver. Arnot-Roberts represents a forward-thinking era of winemaking in the US and the scramble to secure them on release is testament to their quality and popularity.”

And no wines exemplify Arnot-Roberts success and style more than their Syrahs.

Picked for vibrancy and energy, made with plenty of whole clusters to add spice and savoriness, these bottles have plenty in common with the great wines of the Northern Rhône—Clape, Allemand, and Jamet are clearly major influences for Nathan and Duncan. Their style has captivated sommeliers and critics around the country, and their Sonoma Coast bottling takes that magic and delivers it relatively affordably.

The wine is sourced from three all-star sites in the Sonoma Coast—Solas, Baker Lane, and Que Syrah, the original Syrah planting in the region—that all have the warm (but not hot) days and cold nights that are signatures of the best vineyards in the area. That gives Syrah a long hang-time, allowing it to develop fantastic flavor-maturity despite its bright, vibrant style.