2008 Antoine Arena BG

Sommelier Journal

• By S. Peter Smith
  April 30, 2011, (See more on Sommelier Journal...)

  (Antoine Aréna B.G.) Shows some Chardonnay-like character in the nose, accompanied by a tight minerality. On the palate, an attack of wet stones is followed by a delicious blend of white pepper, buttery fatness, and crisp lemon and apple, all underscored by the rocky minerality of the terroir. This wine cries out for foie gras. Repatriation, Resistance, Renaissance

• By S. Peter Smith
  December 2009, (See more on Sommelier Journal...)

  (Antoine Aréna Bianco Gentile, Corsica, France) From the steep, rock-strewn hillside of Aréna’s Patrimonio vineyard, this unique wine is ironically classified as a vin de table because Corsica’s indigenous Bianco Gentile grape is not recognized by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. A Chardonnay-like nose with tight minerality precedes a palate of stones, white pepper, lemon, and apple, balanced by a buttery fatness that cries out for foie gras. The 5 grams per liter of residual sugar soften the attack and add a luxurious dimension to this unoaked wine, but the rocky base of the grapes’ terroir underscores all. Unique and fascinating. Sommelier's Choice: Top Releases of 2009