Yesterday, Drinks Trade attended the official launch event of House of Arras’ 2024 Vintage Collection.
Hosted by Chief Winemaker Ed Carr, the event showcased five vintage expressions of House of Arras. Three of the five releases - the Blanc de Blancs, Grand Vintage, and Vintage Rosé - were produced using grapes from the 2016 vintage, which, according to Ed Carr, was “quite a warm year" in Tasmania.
“The wines from 2016 reflect the conditions of the season, expressing generous fruit characters and a good natural acid line to hold the structure of the wines together. We employed higher levels of oak to complement the already rich character - most wines required around 9% oak integration at assemblage. This has folded beautifully into the wine over the extended maturation period.”
In addition to this, the twelfth vintage release of E.J. Carr Late Disgorged was also showcased at yesterday’s event: “the 2009 vintage was challenging but resulted in an array of outstanding fruit to craft our flagship wine. It remained relatively dry and cool throughout the growing season, and pressures like frost and wine reduced total yields for the season," said Carr.
“The wine expresses the rich fullness of the vintage’s character. It’s a wine of structure, power and elegance and is the ultimate expression of our journey and winemaking philosophy.”
Also forming part of House of Arras' 2024 Vintage collection is a limited allocation of the E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2008 Magnum. “We’re looking at larger formats, like magnums and bigger format barrels which we think there’s a place for,” said Ed Carr in a recent interview with Drinks Trade.
House of Arras’ 2024 Vintage Collection will be available nationwide from late October.
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs 2016
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Dosage: 3.4g/L
ABV: 12.5%
Our thoughts: “Poised, focused, and with a real lively energy underpinning a profile of lime zest, apple, saline minerality, and nougat. Medium bodied, long and all about the fresh vibrancy.”
RRP: $136.00
House of Arras Grand Vintage 2016
Grape variety: Chardonnay 65%, Pinot Noir 35%
Dosage: 2.0g/L
ABV: 13%
Our thoughts: “So many layers of flavour that seem to evolve in the glass. Apple tart, fresh-baked salty bread, creamy pastry, smokey rye spice, all with lime zest in the background. Soft, plush and pillowy, and lasts forever.”
RRP: $125.00
House of Arras Vintage Rosé 2016
Grape variety: Pinot Noir 75%, Chardonnay 25%
Dosage: 3.5g/L
ABV: 12.5%
Our thoughts: “Piercing, fresh, and elegant, with a real tension between the rose florals, strawberry, and watermelon and the mineral and autolytic notes. Lighter in body and with a real elegant acid vein. Pours a pale rose gold.”
RRP: $136.00
House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2009
Grape variety: Chardonnay 65%, Pinot Noir 35%
Dosage: 1.6g/L
ABV: 12.5%
Our thoughts: “Powerful, dense, and a real journey that morphs and evolves - so up front, and yet also a wine that rewards the attention. Flavours of baked bread, stewed peach, toasted spice, lemon curd, and a powerful yeasty umami note all flitter in and out, leading to a slowly meandering finish. Great acidity taming the full body and profile.”
$277.00
House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2008 Magnum
Grape variety: Chardonnay 66%, Pinot Noir 34%
Dosage: 1.7g/L
ABV: 13%
Our thoughts: “Vibrant and with a real fresh energy to it - lemon zest, vanilla bean, smoky spice, and a yeasty, salted rye-bread note. On the palate, fresh citrus in perfect harmony with the denser autolytic notes - so much going on but so effortlessly balanced, with a fresh acidity that tames the palate weight. The finish is endlessly long, but with a gentle softness to it, with vanilla cream and fresh bread.”
RRP: $500
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