NEVADA CITY, CA—After more than a decade shaping some of the Sierra Foothills’ most distinctive vineyard-driven wines, Arquils Wines founder Carlos Caruncho will host a farewell gathering on Saturday, May 23, 2026, inviting friends, collectors, fellow winemakers, and the broader wine community to mark the close of his California chapter before relocating to the United Kingdom this summer.
More than a farewell tasting, the event offers a rare opportunity to acquire wines directly from the cellar—many of them produced in exceptionally limited quantities—before Caruncho’s return to Europe.
Caruncho has become an influential figure within California’s independent wine movement, admired not only for the precision and longevity of his own wines, but for his mentorship of a younger generation of growers and winemakers seeking more site-driven, restrained approaches to viticulture and cellar work.
His wines have earned placement in some of California’s most exciting restaurant wine programs, including Michelin-starred destinations, and have developed a devoted following among sommeliers, collectors, and fellow producers. Internationally, his work has also been favorably reviewed by acclaimed wine critic Jancis Robinson MW among others.
“This is not a close-out,” says Caruncho. “It is simply the right moment to gather, share what we have made, and celebrate a remarkable chapter with the people who have been part of it.”
Guests will enjoy open tasting, light fare, and the opportunity to acquire wines directly from the cellar by the glass, bottle, magnum, or case—including limited selections not broadly available elsewhere. Bluebird Farm, the ranch’s working flower farm, will also be open for guests to wander among seasonal blooms—an added invitation to linger a little longer in the Sierra afternoon.
A California chapter, and a new beginning
Born of old-world sensibility and shaped by the Sierra Foothills, Arquils wines occupy a distinctive space: rigorous farming without chemicals, restrained cellar practice, and wines built for balance, texture, and longevity rather than trend.
Over the past decade, Caruncho has established himself not only as a respected winemaker, but as a mentor and advisor within California’s evolving wine landscape.
As he relocates to the United Kingdom, his next chapter aligns with one of the most dynamic developments in contemporary wine: the rapid rise of British viticulture. With growing international attention focused on English and Welsh wine production, Caruncho will continue his consulting work from the UK, advising producers on vineyard strategy, harvest timing, fermentation, structural balance, and wines that privilege clarity over intervention.
Much of the Arquils cellar will travel with him. For longtime supporters, collectors, and those discovering the wines for the first time, this gathering represents a rare opportunity to acquire wines directly from the source before this California chapter closes.
What: Arquils Wines Farewell Gathering
When: Saturday,May 23, 2026 at 12-noon-4pm
Where: Jacobson Dude Ranch, 11153 Cement Hill Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
Who: Hosted by Arquils Wines
Tickets: Entry is $10 per person, payable at the gate, and includes a guided tasting of Arquils wines, and opportunities to buy wine by the glass, bottle and case.
Information: https://arquils.com
About Arquils Wines
Founded by Carlos Caruncho, Arquils Wines is a Sierra Foothills winery known for elegant, site-driven wines made with minimal intervention and old-world discipline. Caruncho brings decades of experience as a grower, farmer, winemaker, educator, consultant, and sensory evaluator, with a reputation for warm-climate viticultural expertise, disciplined cellar practice, and mentorship within California’s independent wine community.