Arrivo Nebbiolo ‘Lunga Macerazione’ 2007

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

About Arrivo

Starting from scratch with an exhaustive investigation into the provenance on Nebbiolo vine stock in Australia, sourcing 35 vines total – 5 of each of 7 clones, is a long term proposition. Building up stocks, exploring the traits of each clone, fermenting 2 – 5kg lots to decide which ones to plant and in what proportion, was the challenge presented to Peter when he set out to make top-flight and age worthy Nebbiolo in Australia!

In the Vineyard

The site for the ARRIVO vineyard in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills is unique. Located at an altitude of between 450 and 480 metres at the very crest of the of the slope above the original nursery block, it is steep and rocky with a north-north-westerly aspect, reminiscent of many Nebbiolo vineyards in Piedmont – a true Bricco Mezzogiorno . From the very first time he visited the vineyard, Peter had noted that the top of one of the north west-facing slopes, which was quite steep and very rocky in places, had not been planted with other vines. This was the ideal site for his vineyard, and the more he looked at other potential sites in the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere, the more convinced he became.

A hybrid of the best of Piedmontese and Australian trellising and canopy management techniques have been employed, using eight-foot posts and four sets of foliage wires, and the vines are pruned to unilateral canes running downhill. By consensus in Australia and elsewhere, Nebbiolo is a particularly difficult variety to grow. However, ARRIVO was able to achieve desired canopy densities and levels of fruit exposure, whilst keeping in check the variety’s inherent vigour and quirky growth habits. It is a highly labour-intensive and expensive way to grow grapes, but necessary to yield fruit of the quality required to produce ARRIVO NEBBIOLO.

There’s a period of time when the grapes are almost ripe that they sit in between the vineyard and the winery. Nothing much can be done in the vineyard, bar some minor canopy manipulation and removal of imperfect bunches. As often as necessary makers will be walking the vineyards, looking for subtle differences that help them separate parcels and choose when to pick each one. They have to get to know their vineyard and the clones they’re working with vine by vine. Just how should the skins, seeds and stalks look and feel when they are perfectly right. What will happen if you pick too early or too late. For Nebbiolo and most other varieties assessing the seeds plays a major role. Ripe seeds are one of the strongest indicators that you’re ready to pick. Peter describes the perfect point being when Nebbiolo seeds are lignified (brown) and pop in your mouth when you crush them between your molars. Then the fruit hits the winery.

In the Winery

The ARRIVO winemaking is as unconventional as the vineyard. It is a compilation of traditional Piedmontese and well defined high quality Australian red winemaking techniques. The must is separated into various batches with differing proportions of skins to juice to illicit a different mouthfeel in each, and the batches are fermented with different yeasts at different temperatures and with differing cap management. As the fermentations progress the batches are gradually recombined. Peter feels that the stages at which recombination takes place and the proportion of each treatment that is recombined each time, is crucial in achieving the desired outcome in terms of optimal tannin extraction and colour stabilisation. ARRIVO is aiming for a modern and discernibly Australian interpretation of the variety which appeals to a slightly wider audience than Australia’s growing circle of Nebbiolo aficionados, but which also displays many of the traditional characteristics of the best wines from Italy.

I spent about an hour talking with Peter about winemaking techniques. I wish I’d recorded it for the value other makers of Nebbiolo could get! There are a rare few people who know the winemaking rule book. The number who apply it effectively to accelerate their learning to make the best possible wines are rarer still. The number who have worked with and been mentored by the likes Alfredo Carrudo, yup, the Vietti one, his son Luca or, someone with similar levels of experience and wisdom with the varietals they are playing with is incredibly small. Add to that, those who have drunk the benchmark wine in the company of someone like Alfredo, and, know what truly is possible, and, you’re down to a handful.

You might think this would result in a technical boring wine. With the ability to re-write the rule book and then the ability to throw it out, the reality for Arrivo is the polar opposite. Arrivo’s wines are sensual and full of personality.

I wish more makers understood the basics.

Applying Lance Armstongs Tour de France winning techniques, juice was drained of at the beginning and held at cold temperature to halt fermentation. This juice would then be added back a little at a time to keep the fermentation going. We applied a similar technique to Chardonnay back in 1999 and the impact on mid-palate weight was phenomenal. For Nebbiolo, the aim was also the development of stable colour-tannin complexes without harsh mouthfeel developing.

The ‘normale’ Arrivos had between 14 -18days on skins depending on the vintage. During that time they would be pumped over and racked and returned. Never plunged (just too aggressive for Neb). Gentle infusion the aim. During the rack and returns 50% of seeds were removed again to avoid excessive amount of hard tannin being extracted as the concentration of alcohol increased.

None of these things are rocket science. You just have to think of the possibilities and put in the work. Hard work. Lots of manual handling of must, skins, fermenting wine, up and down catwalks. I was never fitter than when I was working my Nebbiolo ferments Peter says.

The Lunga Macerazione saw around 3% whole bunch with full mature, lignified stalks, anything less would have imparted hard green tannins.

At the appropriate time, the various batches would be drained off skins, the wine settled for 12 hours and then the clear wine pump off top the tank to fill the Lunga Macerazione tanks. Peter employed cappo submersio, holding the skins down with a stainless steel mesh about 8cm below the surface. When all fermentation had ceased the tanks would be sealed airtight and full for around 72 days before finally being pressed.

From there the interplay between time, oxygen and sulphur was the main focus. Alternating the wines between an equally enthralling and finely selected oak combination, and purpose made 725 litre stainless steel tanks, built with imported Italian fittings similar to some Peter had seen at a leading cantina in Barolo. Exploring that would take a book. Suffice to say Peter got it right!

It was funny how many parallels our discussion had with the musing I had with Matt Large a few weeks ago as we explored how Giacosa, Versio and Oddero handle their Neb.

The 2007 Vintage

2007 in the Adelaide Hills an excellent year. Cooler, pristine fruit. The wines tell the story now.

Where in the World is Arrivo?

ARRIVO’s vineyard is in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills. The pin roughly in the middle of the image is at the top of the vineyard. An old talc mine rest just to the east. Visiting the site back in 2003 it was clear the geology is lean, rocky with a diverse makeup.