Arador Harmony School Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville 2023

Proprietor and winemaker Roberto Alfaro has known exactly where his talents lie since he was a young boy. Roberto grew up in a small town outside of Michoacán, Mexico, where his father farmed a small piece of land. He grew tomatoes, beans, and corn, and by age twelve, Roberto had learned how to hook up the different types of plows to his father's horse. "It was complicated, but it was my favorite thing to do." This tinkering is the essence of Roberto. He is a problem-solver, drawn to the earth for its raw materials and determined to learn something new each day.

At 17, Roberto came to Napa Valley and joined David Abreu's elite farming team. He was ready to take it all in, wide-eyed and willing to outwork everyone around him. This short yet formative chapter spent planting and tending to some of the finest vineyards in the valley gave Roberto strong fundamentals and a taste for quality. Ultimately, Roberto's thirst for knowledge led him to fall in love with the intricacies of winemaking. After cutting his teeth under the mentorship of David Abreu, he went on to lead the cellar team at Caldwell. In addition to its estate wines, Caldwell also offered custom crush, which meant Roberto got to engage with winemakers of other brands regularly. It was through custom crush that he met Sam Kaplan, winemaker of Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, and Vida Valiente. Back in 2006, Arkenstone?was still an emerging brand. Roberto and Sam developed a strong trust in the cellar that eventually turned into a lifelong mentor/student relationship. Sam invited Roberto to join him as the assistant winemaker at Arkenstone in 2008, and that is where Roberto remains today.

Roberto's second vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Clone 6 from Harmony School Vineyard. Resting in a caldera in southeastern Napa Valley, Harmony School is significantly cooler than other Napa AVAs due to the lingering morning fog and afternoon bay breezes. The Arador Cab benefits from these cooler temperatures with a longer ripening season, which, combined with the smaller berries of Clone 6, creates a nuanced and pure wine.

Aged in French oak for 22 months, the 2023 Arador Cab offers a vivid profile of dark blue and black fruits layered with mineral notes of wet stone, graphite, and wild herbs. The palate is full-bodied and richly textured, yet bright and energized, emphasizing the structure and balance that distinguish this region.