Chris Carpenter's Napa Mastery: An Intimate Evening at Arbitrage Room

Our friends Dain and Lauren orchestrated what proved to be a legendary evening—an intimate 12-person wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room at Warhorse in Atlanta, featuring the wines of Christopher Carpenter.

Anne Cawley with Cardinale hosted the event, pouring an exceptional lineup from Carpenter's portfolio including Intrada, Caladan, Cardinale, and Lokoya. As Dain promised when extending the invitation, this was indeed an epic night showcasing why Carpenter is considered a legend in Napa Valley, with his wines achieving near-cult status. Chef Hall's team created a thoughtful menu to complement the progression of wines, and we were privileged to taste several unreleased 2022 vintages before their March debut.

An elegant opening with Cardinale's valley floor white wine, available exclusively at their tasting room...

• 2023 Cardinale Sauvignon Blanc Intrada 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. This Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon blend is made by Carpenter's assistant winemaker and is not normally available outside the Cardinale Estate tasting room in Napa Valley. The wine showcases floral, citrus, and herbal aromas from unique clones. Super acidic palate. Crisp. Lemongrass and citrus. Lovely as it warmed in the glass.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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A masterful progression from Caladan's Bordeaux-focused wines through Cardinale's Napa Valley mountain and benchland blend to Lokoya's single-vineyard mountain Cabernet, culminating with a surprise mature vintage...

• 2022 Caladan Proprietary Red 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. This Cabernet Franc-based blend is described as exuding elegance with aromas of cherry blossom, rose petal, cinnamon, raspberry, and cedar, supported by refined tannins and a silky midpalate. Decanted for 2 hours. Made to drink early. Bright red fruit on nose and palate. Candy nose. Great pairing with Za'atar spiced beets with whipped feta, crispy kale and pistachio dukkah.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2022 Caladan Cabernet Franc 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. The winemaker describes this as showcasing black raspberry, cassis, earthy currant fruits, spring flowers, iron, and spice notes, described as medium to full-bodied, pure, and polished. Decanted for 2 hours. Made to drink early. Muted nose. No green pepper on nose. Doesn't smell like Franc but tastes like it. Tannic. Paired with Za'atar spiced beets with whipped feta, crispy kale and pistachio dukkah.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2022 Cardinale 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. Not yet released—we were among the first people to try this wine before its March release. The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, aged 22 months in oak. The wine is described as delivering mountain power with valley floor sweetness and depth, leading with boysenberry, dark cherry, Asian spice, and a little clove, with supportive and sleek tannins carrying the blend's complexity. Alcohol and bold red fruit on nose. Bite on palate. Medium-high tannin. Black cherry. Thick and layered. Really open. Very nice. Paired with Dr. J's seared duck breast, root vegetable "mapo tofu" and steamed rice.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2016 Cardinale 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. The winemaker describes this as a mélange of blackberry, dark cherry, blueberry pie, mocha, slate, graphite, and toasted vanilla showcasing the incredible 2016 vintage. Mint and eucalyptus on nose. Dark red fruit on nose. High tannin. Very tight. So complex. Decent pairing with Dr. J's seared duck breast, root vegetable "mapo tofu" and steamed rice. Will be amazing with more time. 95 for now with upside.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2022 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. Lokoya produces four single-vineyard, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Napa Valley's mountain appellations: Mount Veeder, Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain, and Diamond Mountain. All are fermented with native yeast and bottled unfined and unfiltered to showcase their distinct terroirs. The winemaker describes this wine as rich, full-bodied, and deeply layered, offering a cascade of dark black and red cherry fruit, spiced plums, and juicy yet firmly structured intensity, with tannins that grip before resolving with aromatic lift, balance, and poise. We were the first people to try this wine. Nose is on a different level. Smoke, red fruit and mint on nose. Wow. Paired with dry aged KC strip with roasted mushroom risotto, aged parmesan, creamed kale and black truffle.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2008 Cardinale 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Chris Carpenter wine pairing dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta with Anne Cawley. This was a surprise wine generously provided by Anne. Tertiary notes. A lot of sediment. Smells like an old Bordeaux. Decent amount of fruit. Tannin resolved. So balanced. Paired with a selection of farmstead cheeses.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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Following the formal dinner, our group continued the celebration at the Warhorse bar with personal bottles...

• 2014 Peter Lauer Kupp Riesling Auslese Faß 10 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  BYOB after party at Warhorse bar following Chris Carpenter dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta. I brought this wine. Drinking young. A lot of sweetness on the palate. Light honey on the palate. Amazing acid structure. Some petrol on nose.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2008 Domaine Jacques Prieur Clos Vougeot 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  BYOB after party at Warhorse bar following Chris Carpenter dinner at Arbitrage Room in Atlanta. Decanted 20 minutes. Funk and forest floor on nose. Very young fruit on palate. Light cherry. Bright ruby red color. Medium-low tannin. High acid. Tart.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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The highlights of the evening were numerous—tasting unreleased 2022 vintages before their debut, experiencing the surprise 2008 Cardinale, and above all, the exceptional company Dain and Lauren assembled.

Anne Cawley's generosity in sharing these remarkable wines, combined with thoughtful pairings, created exactly the legendary evening Dain promised. The 2022 Lokoya Mount Veeder stood out as the wine of the night at 97 points, though the mature 2008 Cardinale matched it for sheer pleasure. As Dain texted the next day: the wine was great, but the company was exceptional.