Arnot-Roberts Sonoma Valley Old Vine White Farmer Family Vineyard 2023

The Farmer Family vineyard, formerly Heinstein Vineyard and Compagni-Portis Vineyard, is a true relic of old California. Located about one mile from the Sonoma town plaza, this old, unirrigated field blend was planted in 1954 to a mixed variety of white grapes including: Sylvaner, Riesling, Green Hungarian, and Gewurtztraminer. The vines are planted on the original estate of the early California wine pioneer Agoston Haraszthy. Dating to the early 1850s, this is one of the oldest pieces of dirt to be planted to wine grapes in California outside of the missions. The soils are dominated by fluffy white volcanic ash that has washed down over the centuries from the nearby flanks of Mount Veeder. Every year the wine has a unique personality based on the varied degrees of ripening within the block. The interplanted varieties are harvested together and the picking bins are filled with a kaleidoscopic array of berry colors, shapes and sizes. The resulting wines are unique, vibrantly fresh and aromatic with an underlying backbone of brisk acidity and soil-driven minerality.