2016 L'Arco Passito Bianco

"Don’t get me started on this winery OR the man behind it, Luca Fredrigo. Yes, he is one of my “man crushes.” But can you blame me? Have you tasted this man’s wines?? Of course you have! We feature Luca’s wines whenever and wherever we can. He has developed a loyal and passionate following amongst our customers and, especially, our club members.

As a reminder, this is a Girasole wine. When we first tasted these wines about 8 years ago, we ALL immediately knew we were tasting something VERY special. These wines are not only crafted with amazing skill and detail, but with passion and care. These wines have “soul.” Luca Fredrigo does not care about reviews or ratings. He doesn’t submit his wines for tastings. When Paula contacted him to inquire about importing some of his wines into California, he insisted on skyping with her – he wanted to see her face and basically conduct an interview with her to see if she was worthy of representing his wines and investing his time and reputation. Luckily, Paula speaks Italian and was able to convey her passion and commitment about the wineries she represents. They hit it off. They sealed a deal. We now import these world-class wines. You, dear friends, are some the lucky people to try one of these wines! Membership does indeed have its privileges! I am convinced that this is a producer that will soon garner the acclaim and attention he deserves – and it’s starting to happen! Just remember, you tasted his wines here first.

When we visited the winery on our trip in January of 2020, it was one of the most powerful and moving experiences in my long wine career. The man was so focused, so passionate, so respectful of the vines and the wine…What an unforgettable moment! I hope you can somehow recreate a small inkling of it when you enjoy this wine. Last year, we did two tastings featuring all of Luca’s new releases.  Once again, it brought tears to my eyes and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up…

So there’s the story, yet again. We just did a L’Arco wine in January (the Pario), so why another so soon? Well, this is a “unicorn wine!” It’s the one and only time Luca has made some to sell – and he only made ONE barrel! When Paula told me about it, I begged to get enough to put it into this club. 

This elixir is from just 2 rows of white grapes in the original family vineyard in the Classico zone, trained in the traditional pergola system. Luca only replants single vines when they die. The vines were planted in the 1960s by Luca’s father. Hand-harvested fruit from estate-owned vineyards. 1 barrel, producing about 1,000 bottles. This is the first vintage offered, normally it’s just for the family! Count yourselves lucky!" -Mike Guerra, Advanced Sommelier

50% Garganega and 50% Trebbiano di Soave.

Grapes are laid out to dry for 120 days. During this time, the grapes lose about 40% of their weight, concentrating the sugars and extracts. Fermentation occurs very slowly in a 500-liter barrel with native yeast after a gentle crush. The wine is then aged for 48 months in a combination of 225-liter and 500-liter used Slavonian oak barrels. No fining with a delicate filtering to remove yeast, vegan. Minimal sulfur is added during fermentation and aging, no additional sulfur is added at bottling.

Intense, golden yellow. The wine shows a wide, rich range of aromas, from persimmon, dried fig, apricot, papaya, and candied citrus, to caramel, freshly ground coffee, and clear notes of dried Garganega skin. On the palate, it is sweet, well balanced by lively acidity, and has a very long finish.

Serve slightly chilled. You can serve this on its own as dessert or as a vino da meditazione. It also pairs well with custards, cream desserts, petits fours, and blue cheeses. It is especially recommended with the traditional treats of Verona, Offella d'Oro,  Nadalin, Zaleti (the bright yellow cookies of Venice), and Zabaglione.

Drink now-2040.