Mustard flowers in the vineyards of Napa Valley

At a train station, panic ensued as two men were tragically killed. Among the dead was a pillar of their community, JC Weinberger. This untimely death left a void which was filled by his wife, Hannah Weinberger. She took over as director of the Bank of St. Helena in Napa Valley. More so, she became the first acknowledged female winemaker in California, managing the olive tree grove and vineyards on their terraced hillsides.

Central dome of the Machine Gallery at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Artist Louis Beroud.

In 1889, Hannah journeyed to Europe for the Paris World’s Fair and was awarded a silver medal in a wine contest. Her success spanned both as a businesswoman and winemaker. Despite all odds and the advent of Prohibition in 1920, she never remarried and had to pull out her vines.

Almost a century after termination of the vineyard, a couple recognising a place with immense potential for producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon coupled with a rich historical authenticity replanted vines in 2019. This was after a strenuous journey that included buying the property in 2013 and waiting for a permit that only came through at the end of 2018. However, the overriding excitement was the chance to revitalize a superior vineyard that gave a woman an opportunity to prosper at a period in time when being a woman was considered a disadvantage. This also meant continuing the legacy of the first female vintner in Napa Valley to make superb wine.

Both husband and wife, Caren and Nick Orum, were undeterred by the magnitude of the task they had taken on. Self-proclaimed as two Jews from the South, Caren, born in a secluded region of Arkansas, and Nick, hailing from Austin, Texas, first moved to a more perilous New York City in the early nineties only to end up in San Francisco where they pursued their dream to produce incredible wine owing to Nick’s longstanding admiration of Bordeaux wine.

Caren and Nick Orum

In their pursuit, they stumbled upon a property in close proximity to two Napa Valley vineyards that had been the recipients of seven perfect 100-point scores from Wine Advocate, Vineyard 29 and Colgin’s Tychson Hill Vineyard- located north of the town of St. Helena. Consequently, they hired vineyard engineers to inspect the soils among other site conditions to establish the possibility of producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Every feedback undoubtedly verified that the site was definitely capable of matching the high prospects of its esteemed neighbors.

The concept for their wine, Arborum, was conceived. Arborum is a blend of the word ‘arbor’, signifying their intention to protect the environment on their land, and their surname.

Arborum’s Hidden Key Estate Vineyards

This property’s genuine history drew them in, owing to the rustic house initially built as a hunting lodge. This lodge has become one with the woods on their land, serving as their residence with their three children today. Surprisingly, a grove of over century-old olive trees, some reaching up to 50-feet tall, was found within that forest. These trees, marked with hand-forged square nails and antique metal stamps indicating their planting in the 1870s, had become one with the forest due to neglect. Unaware of these rare, heritage olive trees, Caren and Nick had set about clearing the underbrush on their 20-acre property with a slope of 26 degrees. The estate adjoins Spring Mountain, which has a natural spring flowing through the property and a rich biodiversity that aids in pest control with the presence of hawks, owls, and beneficial insects.

Oscar Renteria and his team at Renteria Vineyard Management were hired by Caren and Nick to meticulously manage their 2.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, which spans altitudes from 500 to 800 feet. With an approach that involved precise, hands-on management of each vine, they earned organic certification in 2021. However, they realized the necessity of finding the perfect winemaker who could bring out the unique characteristics of their historical site.

Winemaker Andy Erickson

Caren explained their choice of collaborating with some of the topmost winemakers in Napa Valley. Among all, they selected Andy Erickson, a name of high prestige with over 25 years of experience in the wine-making industry of Napa Valley. Known for his holistic methodologies, Andy emphasizes vineyard-focused practices, expressing the vine’s environment, and an abundance of experience with Cabernet Sauvignon vines in numerous premium sites in Napa Valley. Describing Arborum estate as “a real sweet spot”, Andy shares his perspective of being on any special land capable of producing something magical and his capability to create a wine reflecting this “special place.”

In the past, Hannah Weinberger, a renowned personality, had won a silver medal in Paris with her wine from this same wonderful property. However, due to prohibition laws, she had to uproot her vineyards. Gradually, the once-admired vineyard grew wild, more resembling a natural reserve. Co-owner Nick humorously suggests how, in his next life, he would prefer to buy a property that already has a vineyard due to the overwhelming time and effort in planting and maintaining it. However, this daunting challenge of restoration was taken up by Caren and Nick Orum.

Upon their initial property acquisition, Caren noticed a grand old oak tree in the middle of their driveway. This tree, like many others on the property, became a playful spot for their children aged four, seven, and ten. One day, their middle child found a peculiar old key apparently from Hannah’s era, in a secret compartment within the oak tree. This discovery led them to name their estate vineyards as ‘Hidden Key.’ However, within two days, the oak tree fell apart from the same place, a significant loss for Caren and Nick as they value every part of their property’s history.

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.

2022 Arborum Proprietary White & 2021 Arborum Proprietary Red

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.

They’ve taken great care with their environmental practices on their property, conducting numerous soil studies and slope reports as part of their vineyard management assessments. Along with the mandatories, they carried out extra environmental studies, even checking for endangered northern spotted owls. If the property turns out to be a habitat for these owls, they aim to protect it, emphasizing their desire to maintain their land as a “wildlife thoroughfare,” especially considering the scarcity of such heavily forested properties in their neighborhood.

The Arborum wine labels cleverly pay tribute to their origins. There’s a tiny golden key in the center, and another one atop the capsule, signifying the link to an old key discovered in an oak tree on the property. The label also bears a woodcut impression at the bottom right, an artistic reference to a petrified stump found in their Hidden Key vineyard.

The 2022 Arborum, Proprietary White, from Napa Valley, California is a fine mix: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, and 30% Semillon, derived from the cool climate vineyards in Coombsville. It boasts a delightful bouquet of honeysuckle, white peach, and crushed rocks, with a fleshy fruit palate that’s brightened by lemon peel notes, significant acidity, and saline minerality. The introductory price is set at $125.

The 2021 Arborum, Proprietary Red, also from Napa Valley, California, is winning hearts with its purity. It’s a lively blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon from Arborum’s Hidden Key Vineyard and 5% Cabernet Franc from Pritchard Hill. There’s a lovely spectrum of fruit flavors – ranging from ripe black cherries to luminous red cranberries, mingled with blackcurrant leaves and cocoa powder. High energy on the palate is skillfully offset by dense black raspberry flavors, enriched by undertones of forest floor and volcanic rock, seamlessly woven together with refined tannins. The finish is long-lasting, enchanting with hints of violet aromas. The launch price stands at $265.

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