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What We Say 2008 Roero Arneis DOCG
EXCLUSIVE LIMITED ALLOCATION:
We have a very limited allocation of today’s featured wine. It is an exclusive allocation just in from Italy.
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Mission Codename: White Rascal
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Acquire a limited allocation of a exclusive Roero Arneis DOCG
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Azienda Agricola Pescaja
Wine Subject: 2008 Roero Arneis DOCG
Winemaker: Beppe Pescaja
Backgrounder:
The ancient white varietal Arneis almost became extinct in the 1970s when its use to soften the Piedmont’s Barolo diminished as production of those wines moved towards 100% Nebbiolo. Since then, Arneis has made a come back and finds exceptional and highly regarded expression in the Roero Arnies DOGC. The Roeri Hills region is just north of the village of Alba.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Brilliant clear and pale yellow with a springy surface tension. When swirled, this wine leaves clusters of very slow hanging tears than eventually speed down the side of the glass.
Smell – Medium (almost full for a white) in intensity with lively perfumy apricot, peach, apple and lemony citrus scents that are layered over floral honey suckle and subtle herbal, almond and mineral notes.
Feel – This medium-bodied white is smooth and dry, with a slightly sweet sensation with fresh and lively acidity, soft tannins and a balanced minerality.
Taste – Fresh and plump flavors of citrus, tropical fruit, lemon meringue and tart apple with a touch of apricot brandy. Subtle herbal and mineral notes followed by a touch of spice reminiscent of home-made pie.
Finish – Medium in length with clean lingering fleshy citrus and tropical fruit with crisp minerality.
Conclusion – The 2008 Azienda Agricola Pescaja Roero Arneis DOCG is a fun, fresh and lively white that is the perfect start to a charming Italian dinner. Bright citrus, green and stone fruit flavors. Pair this wine with shellfish or lobster and avoid overly herbal foods.
Mission Report:
Below is a recap of the mission when we were first exposed to the lovely wines for Azienda Agricola Pescaja.
Just back form an extended mission in Europe and surprisingly, I had found balance in my consumption of adult beverages. Plenty of beer, cider and whiskey made things interesting. But it was good to be home.
As I walked through my front door and started to sort through the pile of mail and parcels I noticed a box marked urgent. Dead tired, I didn’t even bother to finish the task at hand and instead lied down.
Being abruptly woken from a deep sleep is disturbing enough, but after 20 hours of travel and being woken at 5AM is criminal. It was Agent Free Run on the other end of the line. “Did you get the package?, yell asked enthusiastically…” “huh, who’s this? uh, Free Run… No… I was sleeping…”_ “I’ll give you 30 minutes to get organized before I go public on this, and call me on my secure line…”
Stumbling to my feet, it occurred to me that the parcel marked urgent was what he was talking about. I opened the box and inspected the contents.
“Free Run, White here…”
“You’ve got the first few cases on this… A special allocation, just in from the Piedmont. I think your operatives will enjoy it. You’ve got a few days before we go public on this one. No get to work – the wine world needs you!” and the line went dead…
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Azienda Agricola Pescaja in Cisterna d’Asti can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Az. Agr. Pescaja
“As the dream and the waking mixes together, as the caress of a warm sunlight, that’s how Sun and Earth meet”
About This Wine:
VISION: Fresh and fragrant, simple and well balanced.
This wine shows a range of colours from sunny yellow to skinny green. Strong taste and smell but easy and clean as a grape just harvested.
PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE: white vinification with small percentage of iced CO2 maceration. Fermentation made in iron tanks
About The Winery:
The production philosophy of Pescaja deals with the creative principle called “S.C.A.”.
Such principle is contained in the central part of the word Pescaja. Sca, in fact are (in Italian language) the beginning letters of the words Sun, Heart and Soul.
The care for the nature and simplicity is our foundation. That’s why the “Sun” is important for us: it’s synonymous of “Terroir”, the microclimate conditions, the country. “Heart”, instead, is the propeller energy of every new enterprise and it’s the creative idea that takes body day by day, the everyday life that carried by the passion for the improvement, becomes “Savoir faire”. These are the premises needed to obtain products with a “Soul” rich of personalities, unique and strong of their own style.
The years go by, everything runs as Eraclitus stated, the ideas change and the rules of the nature and its main principles let Pescaja wines never be the same, never repeat themselves. The search for a higher equilibrium maintain the “S.C.A.” principle as its own unique rule. That’s because wine is a concept devoted to history and it is rich of symbols that take root from the principles of “Ecclesia”, convivial, friendship, tolerance, peace and even from pleasure.
Pescaja attempt is not only to produce good hand made wine but also to endorse a new concept of human being, a thought, a lifestyle…
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: 100% Arneis
Appellation: Roero
Vineyard: Sandy soil
Alcohol: 13.0%
