ARNS grapes are grown in the eastern hills above the city of St. Helena and below the Howell Mountain Appellation at an elevation of about 400-800 feet. Although the total property is 160 acres, most of which is rocks and forest, the vineyard itself is about nine acres in nine different blocks. The exposure of the different blocks accentuates the clonal differences and makes each separate area of vineyard unique. The vines vary in age from 15 to 30 years. The newer blocks are planted at a much higher density, with a spacing of 5' x 3' and on vertical shoot positioned trellises. There are a total of seven different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon in the various blocks. The "Tilting Rock" Clone has distinct flavors of black fruit, anise, cherries, and allspice, with a deep, dense, purple color and loose clusters. The yield from these various blocks is low and averages about 1.5-2 tons per acre. All of the vineyards are farmed using organic methods.

Soils at Arns are Aiken Loam and Boomer Gravelly Loam. These soils are very deep and well-drained; this good drainage allows the roots of the vines to go deep in search of water and requires little or no irrigation, depending on the vines’ age. This combination of clonal selection, low yield, and minimal irrigation produces fruit that is concentrated and intensely flavorful. Harvesting grapes by hand and picking in small lots allows us to get the grapes into the winery in a very short time. Once there, the different blocks are kept separate so that they can be evaluated by performance of the different clones and areas of the vineyard.