From: Valle d'Aosta, North-West Italy
Varietal: Petit Rouge
“From what amounts to a backyard garden in the foothills of Mont Blanc, this rustic/refined red is a one-of-a-kind wine experience. Given its minuscule production, it’s amazing to find it in the US market!” –David Lynch, Sommelier & Editorial Director, Somm Select
Danilo Thomain is the only independent vigneron working in this tiny appellation only five hectares in size. The Thomain family works one hectare of vineyards here in the shadow of Mont Blanc. The vineyards of the Enfer d’Arvier appellation are situated in an amphitheater-shaped site on steep slopes in a high-altitude valley, which receives ample sun. The shape of this “bowl” of vineyards effectively concentrates the heat of the sun, thus giving birth to the “hell of Arvier” moniker.
Tasting Notes: An essay in extremes, Danilo's Enfer d'Arvier is both bracing in its freshness and intense in its concentration. Rapier-like acidity pulls firmly at the reins of muscular, thickly luscious fruit gained from the blistering heat these perfectly angled vineyards absorb under full sun, and the wine is indeed never deficient in ripeness. This wine can age beautifully.
