Arras ‘Brut Elite’ Cuvée No.1601
Grape Varietals: 57% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay & 8% Pinot Meunier
Growing Region: Tasmania - Australia
Chief Winemaker: Ed Carr
The sparkling wines from the House of Arras are a true expression of their origin and of the winemaking talents of Ed Carr. A special combination of their unique cool climate Tasmanian vineyards and uncompromising winemaking. The art of blending sparkling wines at this high level consistently achieved by Ed each vintage - is such that one could even be so bold as to say that Ed has mastered this skill.
I was planning to visit Tasmania in 2021, but like many I decided to stay home on the couch and watch TV. This cuvée is woven together from a number of unique parcels, each bringing its own specific character to the finished wine. The Arras ‘Brut Elite’ Cuvée is the fulfilment of a 2 decade vision, to craft world class sparkling wine. Ed Carr is Australia’s most awarded sparkling winemaker, crafting exceptional sparkling wines equal to the world's best on the remote island of Tasmania. Only the best parcels of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier are selected, carefully handled and separately vinified, before being blended and allowed to develop its special nuances.
The parcels of fruit were hand-picked and then gently whole bunch pressed to ensure the fruit retained its natural brightness of character and elegance. Once clarified, these individual base wines were skillfully blended into this ‘house style’ and prepared for secondary fermentation in bottle. This iconic Tasmanian Méthode Traditionnelle has the 2016 vintage as its base wine, hence the '1601' on the neck of the bottle.
★ This Arras ‘Brut Elite’ Cuvée has an extremely fine bead and persistent mousse, releasing a bright and inviting aroma. You can even get a hint of the influence of sea spray, along with subtle bread yeasts, nougat and roasted almonds. The Brut Elite has an elegant palate structure, with a mineral seam and vibrant flavours of pear, peach skin along with white flesh stone fruits, complemented with subtle Asian spices. 4 years on lees inside the bottle has resulted in a complex character, with balanced acidity and persistence of flavour on a pleasingly long finish.
This Arras ‘Brut Elite’ Cuvée No.1601 has 12.5% Alc./vol. Extra Brut - with a dosage of 3.5g/L. Chill gently and serve in an aromatic wine glass at 9º - 10ºC. *NZ$49.99
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 29/10/22)
Drinking perfectly well this season; plus will hold nicely for another 3 - 4 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with grilled scallops, peppered calamari, seasoned prawns, bbq'd or grilled whole fish, stuffed crab, varied Asian and vegetarian cuisine, along with aged Parmigiano - enjoy.
