La cantina dove maturano i vini di Matteo Correggia
Made from 100% Arneis grapes and fermented in contact with the lees for 6 months in steel vats. The Arneis is a white grape variety originating from Piedmont that is most commonly found in the DOC wines of Roero, although it is also grown in Langhe. Literally "little rascal" in Piedmontese, it is so-called because it is reputedly difficult to grow. It produces crisp, floral, sometimes full-bodied wines (if aged in oak), with notes of pears and apricots. Dating back centuries, it was often used to soften the tannins of the Nebbiolo grapes from Barolo, hence the synonym of "Barolo Bianco". In the 20th century it declined almost to extinction as Barolo began to focus on 100% Nebbiolo wines. However, in the the 1980's there was a resurgence of interest, and in 2006 there was ~1500 acres of Arneis under cultivation in Piedmont. One of the Wine Advocate's "World's Greatest Wine Values" (although the Wine Spectator wasn't quite as impressed!):
"This small estate is a great source for the wines of Roero, the emerging appellation located across the valley from Barbaresco, in Piedmont. The 2007 Arneis is a tightly-wound, mineral-driven version of this wine, with prominent notes of flint, menthol and smoke. This is an unusually austere Arneis. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2009. 87 points."~~Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008"Lemon peel, with a milky undertone. Full-bodied, with a thick texture. Simple. Drink now. 2,600 cases made. 84 points."~~James Suckling, Wine Spectator online, 2008
The Bastide Guesthouse at Domaine du Dragon
From the colorfully named Domaine du Dragon, which is located just outside Darguignan in the Var department of eastern Provence, the grapes for this wine are destalked, gravity fed into a thermo-regulated maceration vat for at least 15 days, and then put through malolactic fermentation and aged in concrete vats. One of the Wine Advocate's "World's Greatest Wine Values":
"With unusually high percentages of Mourvedre (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and only 5% each of Syrah and Grenache, the 2007 Cotes de Provence Hautes Vignes smells of ripe plums, roasted meats, and herbs. Silky in texture, dripping with ripe plum and beef juices, and loaded with saline, savory, smoky and faintly bitter herbal notes, it finishes with richness and grip astonishing for its price. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. 90 points."~~David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008
[Both end of the year, mixed-case discounts at Berman's Wines & Spirits in Lexington MA (clicky click). Correggia: $14.99; $ 19.00 release. Dragon: $12.99; $15.00 release.]
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