The 2023 Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County is a new entry in the winery’s lineup, replacing its California Red Wine bottling. It’s built from two well-known Sonoma sites—Bedrock Vineyard in Sonoma Valley and Lichau Hill on the western flank of Sonoma Mountain—bringing together a warmer valley floor expression with a cooler, wind-influenced hillside component. The producer notes Lichau Hill’s exposure to Petaluma Gap breezes, and the blend is reported as majority Lichau Hill (55%) with the balance from Bedrock. Alcohol is a modest 13.0%, and the bottle is finished with a cork closure.

Arnot-Roberts is also transparent about its technique here: the Cabernet is made with partial whole-cluster fermentation “to tame the fruitiness,” and it’s aged in barrels coopered by co-founder Nathan Lee Roberts—an unusual detail that underscores the house focus on precision and control over élevage.

Critically, the wine has started strongly. Vinous critic Antonio Galloni awarded it an excellent 93 points, calling it “bold and punchy” and “super expressive right out of the gate.” Galloni frames the character in regional terms, highlighting “savory and brambly notes” that he says are “classic Sonoma.” He also emphasizes that, despite its impact, the wine is not built as a bruiser: it’s “mid-weight” and “refined,” a stylistic description that aligns with the winery’s broader reputation for restraint.

The 2023 growing season in Sonoma—marked by a wet winter and a long, cool arc into harvest—helped set the stage for wines that can deliver depth without excessive ripeness, and this bottling’s 13% ABV fits that narrative. Galloni’s verdict is emphatic, labeling the wine “lights-out,” and suggesting Arnot-Roberts’ new Sonoma Cabernet is arriving with both confidence and clarity.