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2019 Vittorio Bera e Figli 'Arcese Bianco'

2019 Vittorio Bera e Figli 'Arcese Bianco'

Region: Canelli < Piemonte < Italy

Grapes: Arneis, Cortese, Sauvignon Blanc, Favorita, Vermentino

Vineyard/Cellar stats: Certified organic farming; calcareous soils;
different varieties are co-planted and co-fermented, destemmed and
gently pressed, then fermented in concrete tank without sulfur. The
wine goes through malolactic fermentation and ages on its lees for up
to a year in concrete tank before bottling, unfiltered with a touch of
So2 and RS, allowing for a final bit of fermentation that adds a
spritz of CO2 upon opening of the bottle; 13% ABV

Winemaker: Alessandra Bera

In 1964, Vittorio Bera e Figli was the first family vineyard to start
bottling and marketing its own Moscato d’Asti in Canelli, the most
famous Moscato village in the Monferrato zone of Piemonte. But the
estate’s history goes all the way back to 1785, when Giovanni Battista
Bera purchased land from the Knights of Malta.

Today, Bera organically farms around ten hectares of vines, six of
which are planted to old vine Moscato. Which isn't a selling point
these days, thanks to the cheap crap that flooded the market in the
60's and 70's.  The sweet sparkling wine known as Asti Spumante
originated respectably in the 19th century but exploded into a
commercial juggernaut after World War II, quickly becoming an
industrial product of conventional farming and poor quality,  From the
start, the Bera family set out to do things differently.

Let us count the ways the Bera family has managed to set themselves
apart from the flock....for starters, their focus has always been on
Moscato d’Asti—and they grow only the best variety of it, Muscat à
Petits Grains. The vineyard is stunning, on a steep hill below the
winery where a warm but windy environment keeps the fruit healthy and
able to ripen well while maintaining zippy acidity.  Also special (and
quite rare) is the fact that the vineyard was always farmed without
chemicals and with an emphasis on biodiversity; today it is certified
organic. An incredible variety of grasses, legumes, herbs and
wildflowers grow between the rows.

The name "Arcese" is a whimsical mash-up of Arneis and Cortese,
historically the main base of this field-blend white, which now
includes other local varieties that grow in the vineyard, like
Favorita, Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc.  Cortese and Arneis are
classic Piemontese varieties, in Gavi and the Roero hills
respectively; also native to Piemonte, Favorita flies under the radar
and is generally used in blends for its bright, citric tang;
Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc are much less common here but add a
nice salty minerality to the blend.  It's super aromatic and smells
like honey and citrus blossoms and fresh summer mornings.  The palate
is supple and pretty, with lush stone fruit balanced by bitter almond
and refreshing acidity.   Alessandra bottles before complete dryness,
so the tiny dash of RS remaining keeps the fermentation going and adds
a spritz of CO2 upon opening.   This, my friends, is brunch wine
defined.  So pretty for sping.
Regular price $22.00
Regular price Sale price $22.00
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