(2018) Only 7,000 bottles were made of this wine from steep, chalky slopes of Cartizze, farmed by the Grotto family for more than 80 years. It is Extra Dry, so with more sugar than a Brut wine, and tastes decidely off-dry after a pear and lemon sherbet nose, delicate hints of white flowers too. The fruit is delightfully sweet, peach-downy and light on the palate, but the core of acidity is very good here, punching through with a pithy citrus dryness to finish.
(2016) A nice hint of minerality, quite a nice steely character, from a vineyard above Le Clos. There’s a creamy and leesy character, the Portlandian soils giving a more open feel. Delicious tang and hints of saltiness. A very good Petit Chablis indeed, made in stainless steel.
(2015) Quite subtle, very lightly oaked. The palate has a lot of sweetness, a really ripe sweetness but perhaps not the ultimate balance or complexity of some of the others. Not sure where this would be from - possibly New World? Tasted blind.
(2013) 14% abv. Arretxea is imported by Caves de Pyrene and farms biodynamically. This white wine is a blend of 55% Gros Manseng, 42% Petit Manseng and 3% Petit Courbu coming from a mix of soils: slate, clay with rough stones and limestone. This has a golden yellow colour with a fine skin-contact nose, melony, with lime rind and a touch of spice. Delicious mouth-filling palate, with lots of powerful flavour and concentration. Quite long, with substantial fruit sweetness but a dry, savoury core of acidity and definite saline, mineral character. A big, substantial wine but not lacking freshness.
