Winemaker's Notes

2018 Prowess Red Blend

Prowess, Reimagined

Since its inaugural vintage in 2013, The Prowess Proprietary Red has been a blend of Bordeaux varieties, with its composition depending on the vintage. 

Beginning in 2018, our winemaker Kristina Shideler decided to use a slightly different approach.

2019 Carneros Chardonnay & 2017 Vales Edge Cabernet Sauvignon

A Deep Dive into Alexander Valley with Arrowood Winemaker, Kristina Shideler

I’ve been working with vineyards from Alexander Valley for the past ten years, and it still fascinates me how vineyard sites in the region express themselves so differently while still maintaining a signature style of the region. Site expression is at the core of my winemaking philosophy, which makes the Alexander Valley a really intriguing place to make wine from.

Late Harvest Riesling

Winemaker Kristina Schideler shares Late Harvest Riesling!

We all find ourselves spending more time in the kitchen these days.  Winter weather begs for comfort food, and with so many holiday baking recipes in the queue, it’s easy to forget how effortless and delicious a dessert wine can be.  With a savory cheese or on its own, the Arrowood Late Harvest Riesling is the ultimate treat.  Here are four reasons why this wine should not be overlooked: 

  1.  A little bit goes a long way.  Densely concentrated and rich, the late harvest Riesling is like liquid gold.  A single glass is a dessert on its own. 

Grape cluster on vine

Winemaker 2018 Harvest Recap

The 2018 growing season began with bud break approximately one to two weeks after what has been deemed “normal” in the last five years. Although we received some nice rain following the 2017 harvest, most of the season’s rainfall came in March and continued into April.
Malbec vineyards

Kristina Shideler's Love Letter to Malbec

I’ve always been intrigued by Bordeaux varieties and their ability to make profound and opulently textured wines, but my Malbec love affair really took hold during my time in Mendoza, Argentina.
Blending notes with wines on table

Wine Blending 101, Creating The Proprietary Red

As a winemaker, the blending process is where I get to earn my stripes, composing a distinct expression of the vintage and capturing a snapshot in time. Monitoring the individual grape varieties through the growing process in the vineyard and following their progress into barrel lends to a keen understanding of how each grape is performing in the vintage.
Grape cluster on vine

Harvest 2016 Recap

Each vintage has its own personality and is remembered for different things. From heavy rains to heat, and wildfires to earthquakes, responding to each year’s challenges often defines what goes into the bottle. The 2016 vintage, however, can be characterized by some of the most consistent weather we’ve had in California for years.
Vineyards

The 2016 Vintage - A Sneak Peek

It’s close to a month before we expect to see the first grapes, and I’m still trying to answer the question, “How is this year’s harvest looking?” The growing season got started with the long anticipated El Niño rains, which certainly helped replenish the reservoirs and ground water after four consecutive dry years.