Winemaker Notes
Palmer and founder of Luna Vineyards, Mike Moone, share a long-standing friendship and in 2003, they chose to collaborate and develop Arnold Palmer Wines. Arnold Palmer Wines combines high quality super premium wines with a legendary name and global icon. The first offering from Arnold Palmer Wines, a California Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay, released in the spring of 2005. Both are premium wines, composed of grapes sourced from select vineyards in California's most acclaimed winegrowing regions.
Palmer on Luna Vineyards and its founder Mike Moone, "Since I hooked up with Luna, I've had a reason to be more involved with wine," says Palmer. "I've learned something about the process and it's fun to think that you are part of something you enjoy so much. Mike is a good friend and he's going to produce a good product, because that's what he does."
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.