Arnot-Roberts Pinot Noir Heaven and Earth Vineyard 2024
We have 2 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
Most cool-climate Pinot Noir stories hinge on big swings between day and night. Heaven & Earth works the other way. The vineyard sits in a secluded coastal valley just east of the small town of Occidental in western Sonoma County, about eight miles from the Pacific, with a forested ridge to the west shielding it from the harshest ocean weather. Because the valley holds a narrow spread between daytime and nighttime temperatures, the grapes ripen slowly around the clock rather than in afternoon bursts, which yields small berries and dense structure. The hillside planting sits at 650 feet on Yorkville series loam over decomposed schist. It was planted in 2004 to a single selection, clone 828, on tight 3-by-7-foot spacing, and is organically farmed by viticulturist Greg Adams.
The Wine
Arnot-Roberts Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir 2024 is fermented entirely as whole clusters, without destemming. On this site the stems build texture, lift the aromatics, and reinforce a fine-grained tannin rather than reading as green. The result is distinctly deeper and darker than most Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. Expect floral and spice tones over macerated red cherry, kirsch, and blood orange, with a thread of new leather; the palate is dense yet silky, carried by fine tannin into a long, savory finish. California's 2024 season included the warmest July on record, followed by a mild August that let coastal vineyards slow down. On the Sonoma Coast, growers reported a good crop that ripened slowly and evenly.
The People
Arnot-Roberts is built on relationships with growers rather than owned acreage. Working from a converted warehouse in Healdsburg, Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts make wine from more than two dozen vineyards across Northern California, from El Dorado County granite to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Their distributor, Polaner Selections, describes the methods as firmly old world, built on whole clusters and natural fermentations. Greg Adams, who farms Heaven & Earth, also tends their Que Syrah vineyard on the West Sonoma Coast, and the winery's share of this site is a small parcel. Caitlin Quinn, assistant winemaker since 2015, works alongside the founders, and each vineyard is still picked, fermented, and bottled on its own terms.
Food Pairing
This Pinot has the depth for dishes with some richness and earth. Grilled king salmon brushed with a miso and ginger glaze works because the wine's acidity cuts the fat while the dark cherry fruit stands up to the salty-sweet crust. Pork tenderloin roasted with fennel and served with a blood orange and arugula salad echoes the citrus edge in the glass. A wild mushroom risotto finished with thyme and parmesan plays to the savory, leathery side, and the fine tannin keeps the creamy rice from feeling heavy. Duck breast seared skin-side down and sliced over farro with roasted cherries is the special-occasion pick. This is the Pinot to open when the dinner is small but the conversation runs long.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned, notoriously difficult-to-grow, low-yielding grape that finds its ancestral home in Burgundy, France, where it produces some of the world's most elegant and nuanced wines. While Burgundy remains its spiritual heartland, Pinot Noir has since traveled the globe, finding success in other cooler climates, notably in California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Germany. This grape is a challenge for any grower, as it requires specific conditions to show its best, and yet the wines it produces are capable of such a captivating and singular character.
Pinot Noir
Practicing Organic vineyard farming involves growing grapes using organic methods—avoiding synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides—but without formal certification. Wineries adopting this approach prioritize environmental health, soil vitality, and biodiversity, using natural practices such as composting, cover cropping, and manual pest control. Many small wineries opt for practicing organic methods rather than pursuing official organic certification, primarily due to the significant cost, paperwork, and time commitment involved in certification processes. As a result, practicing organic is a popular choice among boutique and artisanal producers who remain committed to sustainable agriculture while managing budgetary constraints.
