Noussan Vallée d'Aoste Petite Arvine 2021

Location: Italy, Vallée d’Aoste

Winemaker: Franco Noussan

Grapes: Petit Arvine

Winemaking: The grapes are destemmed and gently pressed with a hand press. The juice is settled naturally and fermentation takes place with natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged on the lees in tank without stirring for six months before bottling.

From the Importer Louis/Dressner: Franco Noussan is a ‘garagiste’ in St. Christophe, a small village in the hills above the town of Aosta. His cave is dug into the hillside and is literally an extension of his garage. He is a professor at the local university in Aosta and when not teaching, he likes to work in the vineyards and make wine and eaux-de-vie.

The grapes are from small family parcels in different areas near St-Christophe. In 1999, his family acquired vineyards from his wife Gabriella’s side. They were all old vines, the majority over 70 years old, planted in Petit Rouge, Mayolet, Fumin and Pinot Gris. The vines are all over 40 years and the majority much older. In 2003 he also began renting some vineyards and now has about 5.5 hectares of surface. The vineyards are worked without herbicides and are plowed. The yields are kept small. He started making wine just for the family's and friends’ consumption, but then began bottling and selling the wine in 2005 under his own name.