Arneis

The Italian white grape Arneis is getting popular worldwide, but fifty years ago it was almost extinct. Originally planted to distract the birds from Piedmont’s more important red variety, Nebbiolo, Arneis was named ‘Little Rascal’ because it was also a troublesome crop, yielding small quantities of disease-prone fruit. But a hard-working local producer revealed the variety’s inherent charms and while it’s famous expression is still Piedmont’s Roero DOCG, producers in cooler climates from California to Australia and New Zealand produce typical Arneis with its elegantly fresh but aromatic nature, subtle pear and stonefruit flavours and perhaps even the classic note of almond.