Today I share a newer winery out of Oregon. Allison & Kenny McMahon are a husband and wife team with PhDs in wine. The name ‘Arabilis,’ means farmable land, and connects with their close partnership with farmers and their aspiration to own a vineyard someday. They produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and traditional method sparkling wines. Tastings are done in the town of Amity, by reservation. I really enjoyed the 2021 Arabilis ‘Johan Vineyard Blanc de Noir’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 94) which is smooth and salty with some great flavor complexity. Learn more at https://arabiliswines.com/ and here are the great new wines by Arabilis.
20202 Arabilis ‘Extra Brut’ Sparkling Wine- Golden in the glass, the 2020 ‘Extra Brut’ comes from the Columbia Gorge AVA and is 70% Pinot Noir with the remainder Chardonnay. Disgorged in March 2025, this shows baked apple and pastry crust notes alongside shades of banana and mango, with salty nuances on the palate. This continues to build in complexity with more air. Very lush on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2021 Arabilis ‘Brut Nature’ Sparkling Wine- A blend of mainly Pinot Noir (76%) with the remainder Chardonnay, the 2021 ‘Brut Nature’ was disgorged in March 2025. This comes off wonderfully fresh and lively with a smooth mousse and refined texture. Green apple and kumquat rind collide with copious minerals and wet stone accents on the palate. Really good to enjoy now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2021 Arabilis ‘Johan Vineyard Blanc de Noir’ Sparkling Wine- Given zero dosage, the 2021 Arabilis ‘Johan Vineyard Blanc de Noir’ Sparkling Wine is a very complex, geeky Pinot Noir sparkler. It comes off big and fat on the mouth with loads of freshness and weight. Pretty strawberry and guava fruits parade with starfruit, sweet lime zest and suggestions of sourdough bread on the palate. Totally dazzling, with excellent length, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2023 Arabilis ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay- The 2023 Arabilis ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay offers good texture, weight and tension on the palate. Salted melon flavors collide with shades of buttered French bread and hints of Japanese pear on the palate. Really good now, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 92
2023 Arabilis ‘Stiling Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Coming from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, the 2023 ‘Stiling Vineyard’ Chardonnay shows off brioche tones on the nose with mango, orchard fruits and shades of white flowers. The palate is soft and elegant with good viscosity. Delightful now, watch this evolve over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Arabilis ‘Pearlstad Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2023 Arabilis ‘Pearlstad Vineyard’ Chardonnay is an excellent effort that was stored in mainly neutral French oak before bottling. White peach and poached pear flavors mingle well with salted cantaloupe and stony soils on the palate. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2022 Arabilis ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- The slightly cooler vintage 2022 Arabilis ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir shows barberry and cranberry notes on the nose alongside salty soils and shades of pie crust. The palate is lithe and smooth as this medium-bodied Pinot offers plenty of bright red fruits with orange zest notes. Drink 2025-2033- 92
2022 Arabilis ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, the Sojeau Vineyard sits at 650 feet on rocky slopes and is owned by Denny Peseau. The palate is wonderfully stony with bright red fruits that parade with dried herbs and shades of menthol. Drink 2025-2035- 93