Giovanni Rosso is best known for Barolo, but the family also farms the sandy hills on the other side of the Tanaro, in Roero, where Arneis grows. This is that wine: a white from Piedmont, from the 2022 vintage, at 13% alcohol.
- Arneis, Piedmont's own white grape.
- Roero DOCG, north of the Tanaro river.
- 2022, a warm and generous vintage in Piedmont.
- Light body, high acidity, dry.
- 750ml bottle, 13% alcohol.
How it is made
Roero became a DOCG in 2004, and the rules cover both the reds from Nebbiolo and the whites from Arneis. Arneis is a thin-skinned, low-yielding grape that was nearly abandoned in the twentieth century, kept alive mostly by growers in this corner of Piedmont. It ripens early and loses its acidity fast, which is why the best versions come from sites that hold a little freshness.
How it tastes
White peach and citrus up front, then honeysuckle and a clear almond note that is the grape's signature. The acidity is high and the body is light, so it stays fresh rather than broad, and the finish is savoury and mineral rather than sweet.
Good to know
Arneis was once nicknamed "the little rascal" in Piedmontese, because it was difficult to grow and gave uneven yields. Growers in Roero kept it going while the rest of the region moved on, and it is now the white grape of the area.
