Dame Wine®

Off a side road that seemingly didn’t exist at first glance was a dusty, dilapidated building that was quite shocking to a woman who had dedicated a significant part of her life in partnership with her husband in high-tech labs as advanced life science researchers; when it came to achieving excellence in the world of science, a place such as this one did not typically give one confidence. But, in this case, this woman was thrilled to experience such a “cool place” that had grit to it that was ideal for creative endeavors. She was led by her artistically talented youngest daughter who had a fresh approach for their family wine labels that brought them to seek out an artisanal company run and operated by men who seemed to be working on 100-year-old printing presses. These machines appeared to no longer exist in the world, except within this dilapidated haven, and the knowledge to work them was almost extinct except for these men who expertly handled these ancient instruments. As they seamlessly moved with the complicated maneuvers of the machines, one could ascertain that these men were skilled artisans who had not only been doing this for decades but were probably passed down from master to apprentice.

The daughter, still at university at that time, decided on an unconventional color palette for the label of their family’s first release of their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines. It had an overall brown color that is reminiscent of that stunning shade of rich brown found in fine suede leather with a symbol of a metallic ring with an oak tree growing through the top. There are three different Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings, each with its own metallic color ranging from bronze, gold, and the color of bronze that had gone through the patina process; hence, there are hints of antique green. Yet describing the colors does not do them justice as they are multifaceted, with various tints and depths of shades that give the embossed symbol a sense of dimension and vitality.

For this family, their Napa Valley Annulus Cellars wines would reflect the heart of winemaking in their beloved valley, where families place every little bit of the fiber of their being into their wines—building a community of those who connected over their passion and love of such a divine drink that perfectly expressed their precious land. In this place, people came together to establish a multi-generational dream instead of like other places in the country, losing their kids and grandchildren due to a lack of real attachment to their homes.

Annulus Cellars

Wife and husband team Deann Wright and Luke Evnin are the founders of Annulus Cellars. Their daughters, Alexandra and Elena, are a part of this family dream. Alexandra has experience selling wines in NYC and is now working for other wineries to learn the winemaking end. Elena’s artistic gifts have proven valuable for designing the ideal visual representation for their excellent Napa Cabs.

Deann and her husband bought a home in Napa almost 25 years ago, and their second daughter was born in that house. They had always been fans of the wines of Napa and the increase in sunshine compared to their previous home in San Francisco proved to be irresistible. Still, through time, they found themselves part of a diverse wine community, attending all the events, getting to know the wine producers and having their kids grow up with multi-generational grape growers and winemakers. They dreamt of creating their own multi-generational wine family with their vineyards, feeling a deep connection to the earth where their family would have deep roots filled with many memories.

But that dream had to be placed on hold as Luke traveled for work and Deann raised two little girls. But their conversations after the kids were tucked into their beds, of having vines, a winery and being part of the great legacy of Napa wines that would continue for generations to come within their family, always continued until one day they decided to take that leap. For Deann and Luke, making anything other than a great wine wasn’t an option so when they started looking into purchasing vineyards, anything that was in their price range wouldn’t live up to their aspirations. But then they realized that many of the Napa wine producers they admired had either bought fruit from top vineyards and then eventually bought their own or kept buying grapes from growers they trusted.

They had gotten to know Daphne and Bart Araujo, the owners of the Napa Green Certified, historic Wheeler Farms Winery; their winemaker, Nigel Kinsman, a rising star in Napa, was interested in meeting with Deann and Luke about their Annulus wine project. Nigel has already received a 100-point score from Antonio Galloni of Vinous for his 2018 Accendo Cabernet Sauvignon that he makes for Daphne and Bart and a 99-point score from Wine Advocate for his personal label. Hence, he has really impressed Napa Cab lovers with his skills. However, it is vital that owners and winemakers have great chemistry for the partnership to work, and Daphne and Bart felt that Nigel would work well with Deann and Luke, which has proven to be the case.

Luke has been impressed with how Nigel has been able to bring out a harmonious overall quality in the wines that highlight a balance between restrained fruit and savory notes that has an elegant power as opposed to the type of power that has little nuance; exactly the kind of wines that he and Deann had always gravitated towards.

Balancing Openness with Belonging

The metallic symbol on their Annulus wine labels is based on a sculpture their youngest daughter saw on the streets of Florence during a semester spent studying there. It is a big ring at the bottom with an olive tree growing out the top as a memorial to victims of a car bombing in the 1990s. Deann and Luke’s daughter contacted the artist to get permission to use this symbol but modified it to use a Napa oak tree on their label. This symbol has come to represent their mission with their wines and ultimately inspired them for their name, Annulus, which means “ring” in Latin. As it is a ring that represents peace, life and hope as it is the cycle of the grape’s lifecycle in the vineyards, it is the circle of family, friends and community and the continuation of hope still growing during our darkest times.

As we continue living in a world that tears down barriers, allowing an open, free-flowing society to create prosperity for all, many are feeling lost and lonely in terms of belonging to something tangible that creates a feeling of community. How does one find belonging without giving up a world where they are constantly nourished by various people from different walks of life?

For Deann and Luke, seeing the transformation of Napa and losing some of that multi-generational family feeling by having big conglomerates buy up many of the properties throughout Napa Valley has been a sad transition to witness. And so, instead of mourning the fact that future generations will not get the opportunity to be part of a community that is a close-knit tapestry of varying backgrounds, they are investing in keeping that community alive. And even though they have spent the better part of their lives pushing forth innovation and finding cures for supposedly incurable managed diseases, they also profoundly know how much the wellbeing of the mind goes hand in hand with the wellbeing of the body.

Whether it is supporting multi-generational growers, keeping an old art of printing alive or simply trying to keep the circle of a support network of neighbors that has been there for all the ups and downs of life sustained, one can either allow these precious ways of life that maintain the wellbeing of the heart and mind to disappear or like Deann, Luke and their daughters, decide to significantly invest in those facets in life that not only allow humans to survive physically but be inspired by life, every single day.

Link to original Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathrinetodd/2024/07/29/napa-valley-family-releases-their-first-wines-made-from-top-cabernet-sauvignon-vineyards/

Annulus’s inaugural wines will be released in September of this year.

2021 Annulus, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot sourced from lots in Stags Leap District, old vine fruit from the 1520 vineyard on Diamond Mountain, and other heritage vineyards. Depth and richness on the nose with brooding fruit enhanced by gravel and torn rose petals, juicy red plum fruit and mulberry compote flavors on the palate, and ultra-fine tannins. Only 307 cases were produced.

2021 Annulus, Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard, which was first planted in 1884 and farmed by the Phillips family since 1978. Exotically enticing aromas of jasmine blossom, sandalwood and star anise with generous fruit that is refined in its subtle intensity, such as blueberry cobbler flavors with hints of graphite and an ideal amount of weight on the palate, just enough lushness without losing its overall refined quality and the finish on this wine is like ribbons of silk slowly caressing every inch of the palate.

2021 Annulus, Beckstoffer La Piedras Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley, California: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Las Piedras vineyard located at the foot of Spring Mountain which was first planted in the 1840s. Smoldering nose that beckons the drinker with intriguing notes of espresso and cocoa dust with delicious flavors of blackberry coulis and skillfully sculpted tannins, creating a firm structure with an overall elegant quality like an exquisitely made corset crafted with the finest materials.

Some ran while others hit the ground and many screamed as two loud bangs rang out at the train station; once the panic subsided, those in the immediate area realized two men lay dead on the ground. And then, the realization that JC Weinberger, an important figure in the local community, was one of those men and someone had to tell his wife and daughter what happened. This incident, although extremely tragic, created a situation in the late 1800s that allowed a woman, Hannah Weinberger, to take her husband’s place as the director of the Bank of St. Helena, in Napa Valley, and, most importantly, to become the first recognized female winemaker in California who would tend to the olive tree grove and vineyards planted on their steep, terraced hillsides. 

In 1889, Hannah traveled to Europe to attend the Paris World’s Fair and won a silver medal in a wine competition. She was very successful as a businesswoman and winemaker, never remarrying, yet she had to pull her vines out in 1920, during Prohibition. 

Almost 100 years after the vineyard was grubbed up, a couple looking for a site with the potential to make stellar Cabernet Sauvignon with an authentic, rich history planted vines in 2019. Although it has been a long, arduous journey, first purchasing the property in 2013 and waiting for a permit that didn’t go through until the end of 2018, it was a thrilling prospect to be able to revive a great vineyard, which allowed a woman to thrive during a time when her gender made her a second class citizen, and continue the legacy of the first woman in Napa Valley to make great wine.

Hidden Vineyard Gem 

Caren and Nick Orum are the married couple who took on this Herculean task and they do not shy away from a challenge. Both are from the South, Caren, born in rural Arkansas, and Nick, from Austin, Texas, and moved to New York City in the early 1990s and eventually made their way to San Francisco, where they sought to fulfill Nick’s dream to make great wine as he was a longtime Bordeaux wine lover.

So, they searched until they came upon a property near two Napa Valley vineyards that have received seven perfect 100-point scores from Wine Advocate, Vineyard 29 and Colgin’s Tychson Hill Vineyard- north of the town of St. Helena. They brought in vineyard engineers to test the soils and other aspects of the site to ensure if the potential for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon was indeed possible. Every result assured Caren and Nick that the site did live up to its lofty neighbor’s potential. 

That is when the idea for their wine, Arborum, was born. Arborum is a name that combines the word ‘arbor’ to represent how they want to protect the nature on their property with their last name. 

The authentic history of the site also drew them to this property as there is a rustic home that was initially built as a hunting cabin, seamlessly integrated with the forest on their land, and today, they live there with their three children. Surprisingly, within that forest was a grove of over a century-old olive trees that have handmade square nails in them with old metal stamps indicating that they were planted back in the 1870s, some as high as 50 feet tall. Since these olive trees had been neglected for so long, they have become part of the forest. So, Caren and Nick had no idea until they took on the demanding task of clearing the underbrush on their 20-acre property with a 26% degree slope that they had these rare, heritage olive trees. The estate backs up to Spring Mountain, which provides a natural spring that flows through the property and has a wide range of biodiversity – hawks, owls and beneficial insects mitigate any issues with harmful pests. 

Arborum

Caren and Nick meticulously take care of their 2.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, which ranges from 500 to 800 feet in altitude, by hiring Oscar Renteria and his team at Renteria Vineyard Management to practice precision vineyard management having a hands-on approach for each vine, becoming certified organic in 2021. Still, eventually, they knew they needed to find the ideal winemaker who could express the unique qualities of their historic site. 

Caren said they reached out to an impressive list of eight Napa Valley winemakers, all of whom were eager to meet with them as the history and proximity to outstanding vineyards intrigued everyone. But they decided to go with highly respected winemaker Andy Erickson, who has had 25 years of winemaking experience in Napa Valley, as he takes a holistic approach as he is a winemaker who spends a lot of time in the vineyards, focusing on site expression and he has a wealth of experience of overseeing Cabernet Sauvignon vines on many premium sites in Napa Valley. Andy calls the Arborum estate “a real sweet spot” and talks about that feeling of walking certain pieces of land where he senses “something magical can happen,” knowing he can create a wine that reflects that “special place.” 

Unlocking the Past 

It has been over a century since the remarkable Hannah Weinberger won a silver medal in Paris with her wine from this incredible property. Yet, unfortunately, the glory of her vineyards was short-lived as Prohibition forced her to rip out the vines. Then, over time, it became overgrown, seeming more like a natural reserve than a once highly prized vineyard. Even Nick jokes that in his next lifetime, he will buy a property that already has a vineyard as they could not really initially appreciate the time and work it would take to plant a high-quality vineyard. But then that has been the issue with this special estate because it was too big of a mountain to climb for anyone to take on such the challenge of restoring it until Caren and Nick Orum came along. 

When they first bought the property, Caren noted there was this old magnificent oak tree in the middle of their circular driveway, as the property has many oak trees, and immediately, her children, who were four, seven and ten, found it to be the ideal place to play. One day, their middle child ran in, and she said, “Mom and Dad, I found a key!” Lo and behold, she had found an old key in a hidey-hole in the oak tree. The key didn’t fit into the old hunting lodge they used as their home but it looked like it came from Hannah’s time. Hence, they decided to call their estate vineyards ‘Hidden Key.’ Unfortunately, two days later, the oak tree spilt in half right where the hidey-hole was located, which was devastating to Caren and Nick since every aspect of the history of their property is precious to them. 

As they stood there looking at the place where the majestic oak tree once proudly stood, knowing that it had lived through so much and seen so many changes, a feeling came over Caren. It was a sign. It was a sign that the property was making the transition to them, as they had been handed the key, and Hannah’s legacy would not be forgotten as they would take it from where she left off, almost 100 years later. 

***Link to original Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathrinetodd/2024/05/11/napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-vineyard-site-revived-almost-100-years-after-uprooting-vines/

Arborum will have their inaugural release this Fall, in 2024, and the two wines that will initially be released are below, 2022 Proprietary White and 2021 Proprietary Red, with a 100% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon planned for release in a few years. They intend to make around 500 cases of wine annually. 

Caren and Nick Orum are committing to donate one million dollars ahead of the launch to kick off their mission to give back to their community and protect the environment. Then, in the future, 100% of Arborum’s net earnings will go to charitable causes. They will divide it between 50% of people who live and work in Napa Valley, as they recognize that the wonderful wines that come out of Napa happen through hard work from people who struggle to survive, helping with social services and safety nets. The other 50% will be allocated to environmental causes with a conservation focus.

In regards to the environmental practices on their own property, besides doing all the soil studies and slope reports for data that is helpful for their vineyard management assessments, they also conducted several environmental studies, some required and some not required, going as far to ensure that there were no endangered northern spotted owls on the property, because if these owls had a habitat they wanted to make sure to protect it as Caren noted that they want their property to be kept as a “wildlife thoroughfare” as there are not a lot of properties in their area as heavily forested as they have left their property. 

Also, the Arborum wine labels have a tiny golden key in the middle as well as a key on the top of the capsule to reflect the connection to the old key found in the oak tree. There is also a wood cut impression at the bottom right of the label that is an impression of an old petrified stump found in their Hidden Key vineyard.

2022 Arborum, Proprietary White, Napa Valley, California: 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon sourced from cool climate vineyards in Coombsville. A lovely bouquet of honeysuckle, white peach and crushed rocks with fleshy fruit on the palate that is lifted by notes of lemon peel, marked acidity and a saline minerality. Release price $125.

2021 Arborum, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley, California: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon from Arborum’s Hidden Key Vineyard and 5% Cabernet Franc from Pritchard Hill. A vibrant wine with beautiful purity of fruit that ranges from rich black cherries to bright red cranberries intermixed with blackcurrant leaves and cocoa powder with lots of energy on the palate balanced with dense black raspberry flavors with hints of forest floor and volcanic rock knitted together with fine tannins with a long finish that lingers with enchanting violet aromas. Release price $265.