How brilliant to finally find an Arneis specialist here in New Zealand. Lucky for us, Franzi Grab is obsessed with this tricky little Italian number from the northern Piedmont region, which is nicknamed ‘Little Rascal’ due to it regularly having hissy fits in the vineyard and not playing by the rules. Certified organic, Franzi now has three vintages under her belt and her style is wild-yeast fermented, chalky, bone dry and limey on both the nose and palate and boasts zingy acidity, racy texture and excellent length. The 2016 (4 stars) has a deeper colour and hints of white pepper and nuttiness on the nose and a rich mouthfeel, while the 2017 (4.5 stars) has pronounced lime, lemon and summer florals on the nose and citrus and mineral-dominant palate. Just 954 bottles were made of the 2017, much less than the 2016 – however they’re both sensational wines. Don’t over-chill arneis – just an hour in the fridge tops. Then drink it with leek and mozzarella dumplings. www.tuamarinavineyards.co.nz
