Araldica Piemonte Cortese DOC

The Araldica group of companies is a major force in wine growing, production and distribution based in the Piemonte region of northwest Italy. The Araldica cooperative now comprises 300 members who tend to around 900 hectares of vines. As well as traditional and native varietals such as Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Cortese, Arneis and Moscato they also grow the less common Brachetto and Freisa alongside more cosmopolitan, renowned grapes as Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay. This wine comes from the Monferrato hills in the south of the province of Asti, Piemonte. The Limestone and clay soil vineyard has a South West aspect at altitudes between 250 and 400m. This wine is a pale colour with green hints and an aroma of grapefruit and minerals. The palate is light-bodied, while this cortese is fresh, crisp showing citrus flavours and vitalising acidity. (12 x 75 cl)

This is an attractive brick-red coloured wine, with aromas of ripe plums and spicy oak. It is medium-to-full-bodied, with notes of rich, sweet fruit, leather and tobacco. Soft acidity and fine tannins complete this appealing wine. Cellar for up to five years. Heading north and east from Alba, one enters the hill-rich DOC zone of Asti, south of the town of Asti itself. The name on its own is used only for the well-known sweet sparkling wine, Asti Spumante. However, the name Asti also combines with various varietal names to form what is called a 'multi DOC', hence the name Barbera d'Asti. The grapes in Alasia Barbera d'Asti are cultivated in vineyards in The Monferrato hills in the South of the province of Asti. The vineyards are southwest facing and are at an altitude of between 250 and 400m above sea level. The vines have an average age of 30 years. Vine density is 4,000 (6 x 75 cl)

This unusual and concentrated white wine shows an interesting combination of fine mineral characters with floral notes, nutty almond intensity and rich white peach and pear fruit; very ripe, juicy and quite big in the mouth and on the finish, but with zippy balance and lingering length; the acidity is well balanced with the fruit, and the malo-lactic fermentation gives a creamy smoothness and structure to the wine. Arneis is a variety that really needs to be full on to work well, this is exactly that! Fruit for the Sorilaria Roero Arneis comes from the Sorilaria Vineyard in the commune of Monticello d'Alba. Situated at an altitude of around 280m, the 21 year old vines grow in clay chalky soil, and are trained in the classic Guyot system, producing an average of 8 Tonnes/ha. The vineyard is immaculate with great care and attention to detail shown by the fastidious grower Luigi Bertini. Just before harvest the grapes make a spectacular sight hanging in golden bunches at regular intervals along the vine. The grapes are hand-picked and pressed in modern pneumatic presses. 10% of the must is fermented in new French oak barriques, with the remaining 90% being cool-fermented in stainless steel. (6 x 75 cl)

Brick red to tawny in colour; aromatic with hints of roses, tobacco and spices; on the palate rich and concentrated cherry and berry fruits, real weight and earthy, savoury complexity with long finish and firm, ripe tannins. Alasia Langhe Nebbiolo is produced from Nebbiolo grapes cultivated in The Langhe Hills around the town of Alba in the Piemonte region. The vineyards have a south westerly aspect and are situated at altitudes between 200 and 300m above sea level. The vines have an average age of 30 years. Planting density is 4000 to 4500 vines per hectare and the soil is limestone-clay. Piemonte low Guyot trellis system is used. Grapes are hand harvested between 10th to 15th October. (6 x 75 cl)

A sweet, white wine with quite intense aromas of honey, flowers and fresh grapes. On the palate the wine reveals further fresh grape and citrus notes. A clean wine with refreshing acidity on the finish to balance the sweetness. The grapes for Araldica's Moscato d'Asti are sourced from their members' vineyards, in the Monferrato hills in the south of the province of Asti in the Piemonte region. The vineyards have a south westerly aspect and are at altitudes of between 250 and 400 m above sea level. Vines are grown in limestone-clay soil using the Piedmont low Guyot trellis. The average age of the vines is 30 years and the planting density 4000-4500 vines per ha. Yields are 77 hl per ha. The fruit is hand-harvested between 1st to (12 x 75 cl)

Araldica ALASIA Sparkling Brut Piemonte from Italy, Piemonte by Araldica (6 x 75 cl)

Aromas of plum and cherry fruit lead to a soft, well-rounded palate showing fresh red and blackberry fruits and nicely integrated oak. Classic Barbera! (12 x 75 cl)

Mid-yellow in colour with golden highlights. A full-bodied Chardonnay, packed with tropical fruit flavours. Pineapple and peach dominate, mingling well with hints of ripe apples, and a touch of honey and cream. The fruit is well balanced with the acidity and oak, leaving a note of spicy warmth on the lingering finish. Ageing potential: although drinking well now, this wine will benefit from age in bottle for two to four years. Poderi Alasia are a range of authentic and elegant wines produced from some of the Araldica members most prized vineyards. Fruit for the Roleto Chardonnay is from the Roleto vineyard in the commune of Castel Boglione. Situated at an altitude of around 350m, the vineyard faces south, southwest and has chalk clay soils. The 24 year old vines are grown in chalk clay soils and trained in the Guyot method. Production averages 8 Tonnes/ha. The grapes are hand harvested. After hand harvesting the Chardonnay grapes are chilled and pressed in modern pneumatic presses. The juice is fermented in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak barriques and then it undergoes malo-lactic fermentation. The wine is aged on yeast lees in the same barriques for six months before being blended and bottled (6 x 75 cl)

A distinctive red wine: delicate, spritzy and sweet. Lightly perfumed nose with hints of rose flowers. Appealing, sweet and sour palate with some strawberry notes and nice acidity on the finish. The Brachetto varietal may have originated in Provence, but today it is grown in much larger quantities in Italy, in particular in Piemonte. The Brachetto vine is delicate, giving low yields from which sweet red wines with the colour and flavour of strawberries are produced. The grapes for Alasia Brachetto d'Acqui are sourced from vineyards in the Monferrato hills in the south of the province of Asti. These south west facing vineyards are situated at altitudes of 250 and 400m above sea level. The vines have an average age of 20 years and are grown using the low Guyot trellis system. Planting density is 4000 to 4500 vines per hectare. Soil is limestone clay. The grapes are hand harvested toward the end of August. Grapes are pressed in modern pnuematic press and the must fermented in pressurised tank with CM yeast. Short maceration with skin contact for 4/5 days at very low temperature. Fined and filtered. (12 x 75 cl)