Website: https://houseofarras.com.au/
The dialogue surrounding sparkling wines has long been overshadowed by Champagne, but that narrative is beginning to shift. Emerging regions and diverse styles are now garnering serious attention.
At the forefront of Australian sparkling wine is Ed Carr, who previously led Constellation’s, now Accolade’s, sparkling wine program which included Arras, located in Tasmania. In 2023, Accolade made the decision to sell Arras, yet Ed continues to be part of the team.
Ed has been struck by the impressive aging potential of Tasmanian sparkling wines. During a presentation in London, he showcased a wine from 2004 that was disgorged in 2020, boasting an astonishing 15 years on the lees, and it remained vibrant and fresh. This particular wine was aged under a crown cap featuring a standard liner.
‘Caps are still a work in progress for us,’ Ed shares. ‘We frequently conduct trials with different caps, and as of now, we haven’t discovered one that outperforms the one we’re currently using. The cap we’ve settled on features a relatively high oxygen transfer liner, while those with lower oxygen transfer capabilities often cause the wine to become stagnant: it simply doesn’t evolve.’
So, what does the future hold for Australian sparkling wine? ‘On the high end, things are looking promising. However, the commercial segment has often been developed with a focus on cost. They offer reliable, fruity styles, but they don’t really challenge the status quo.’
‘There are two primary regions that produce exceptional sparkling wine. The first is Tasmania, which has nearly 4000 hectares of vineyards, with 47% dedicated to sparkling production. Producers in Tasmania have now largely established their signature styles and are committed to refining them, which is a positive development. The other region that fascinates me, though it offers a very different profile, is Orange. The unique climate there influences a distinct style, with most vineyards situated at elevations of 800-1000 meters.’
Does this region experience a compressed growing season? ‘They do face risks from frost and have encountered some hail challenges recently,’ Ed explains. ‘It’s the distinct structure that arises from the high-altitude climate that sets it apart.’ While summers in Orange are dry, the same can be said for Tasmania as well.
Tasmania’s unique climate is largely influenced by the rain shadow effect created by the highlands on the western coast, leading to relatively dry conditions. In fact, Hobart experiences less rainfall than Adelaide.
When it comes to producing high-quality sparkling wine using traditional methods, what viticultural aspects are crucial? Is it important to achieve flavor with lower potential alcohol? At Arras, the approach is to harvest slightly riper grapes compared to others, typically at around 11.5%. This strategy helps in steering clear of any herbaceous or fennel-like notes. In Australia, picking too early often results in an undesirable green flavor profile.
While Tasmania enjoys a cool climate, the strong sunlight due to the clear, pollution-free air necessitates careful fruit protection. The goal is to have the grapes receive dappled sunlight. Without adequate light exposure, grapes can develop those unpleasant herbaceous green characteristics. Managing the sunlight exposure is dependent on the row orientation; for north-south oriented rows, leaf plucking on the east side is done to mitigate the effects of the less intense morning sun.
In 2023, Arras transitioned its ownership from Accolade to a family-owned entity known as Handpicked Wines, a group dedicated to premium, quality wine production. They have acquired all the tirage stock along with finished goods, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
“During my time at Accolade, I was involved in creating brands, particularly in the hotter regions like the Riverlands. A number of growers in that area experimented with Kaolin, although it wasn’t widely embraced. Their approach focused on increasing water supply to the vines to enhance growth.”
“Andrew Pirie continues to champion the Scott-Henry trellising system, but the predominant method we use is Vertical Shoot Positioned (VSP). While there are some Lyre systems, they come with a high management cost.”
What does your ideal analysis look like? “I aim for around 11.5 Baume, with acid levels below 12 g/l, so hitting 10 is ideal. The pH typically falls between 3.1 and 3.2, which we achieve consistently.”
They don’t usually add acid, though there have been occasions during pressings. “For the free run juice, we have never added acid, and we successfully complete 100% malolactic fermentation.”
Is there a presence of malic acid this year? It’s noteworthy that this year’s levels have been among the highest we’ve seen. Typically, we range between 3.5 and 4.5 g/l. To manage this, we inoculate for malolactic fermentation. Time is of the essence, and we can’t delay. The inoculation occurs right at the end of the primary fermentation phase, and keeping the temperature higher is essential since we are approaching winter. Our winery is well-heated, and we aim to expedite the process. Ideally, we can achieve a reduction of about 1 g/l per week, allowing us to complete it in a month. However, there often exists a lag phase of about two weeks before we see any progress.
Regarding the pressing process, do you pick your harvest in small crates or macrobins? “All our grapes are collected in half-ton bins, with each bin holding roughly 400 kg,” is the answer.
The pressing technique they utilize involves conventional bag presses. They handpick the grapes into the crates, starting as early in the morning as possible, and the pressing occurs overnight. “We aim to extract the first 50 liters per ton, and then the heart juice will be in the range of 450-500 liters. When our winemakers notice the tannins are beginning to intensify, they will make the decision to cut. Our juice is always fined; we strive to set it up for primary fermentation correctly and prefer to avoid excessive adjustments later,” Ed explains. A touch of carbon and a bit of gelatine are used in the process.
The juice clarification process can be somewhat intricate. “Our goal is to ferment on solids, aiming for around 150 NTU. We first allow the juice to settle, then rack it, fine it, and filter it back onto the solids.” They process the juice through a cross-flow system, returning squeaky clean juice onto the solids.
Up to 10% oak is utilized for the base wines. “Especially at the vintage level, we incorporate a significant amount of new French oak. Our aim is to extract tannin and structure from the oak. Instead of opting for a higher amount of old oak, we’ve chosen to use a smaller percentage of new oak, which provides a completely different outcome,” they explain.
The goal is to enter tirage within the same calendar year. “This year, we delayed tiraging a bit due to difficulties in completing our malolactic fermentation,” they noted.
A reserve program is now being developed. “We initiated this in 2016. We have been utilizing 2800 liter foudres, and we used the 2016 vintage this year.” They maintain the base wine blend by vintage. “The blend comprises Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, and we reintegrate the entire blend back into the reserve.”
“We did consider storing reserve wine in stainless steel but ultimately decided against it. We truly appreciated the character we were receiving from the large format oak, although it requires a minimum of six years. All of these are new foudres, so we are fermenting in them several times to lessen the oak influence. They are sourced from François Frères,” they concluded.
‘We are firm advocates of cork ageing,’ Ed mentions. ‘Currently, we only apply it after disgorgement. I notice the evolution of the wine is notably different. The impact of crown caps is remarkable as well. At the moment, we are conducting trials with five different crown caps that we need to evaluate over a period of three to four years.’
Regarding disgorgement, do you prefer adding dosage? ‘We don’t have a specific target in mind,’ Ed replies. ‘The least we’ve approached for dosage is around 2 g/l.’
For the liqueur, they can opt for either oaked or unoaked wine. In the case of the rosé, they might utilize a red wine liqueur to perfect the color; they employ carbonic maceration to extract color without infusing tannins. ‘Our goal is to achieve a perfect balance between sugar, acidity, and tannin. It’s fascinating how much impact [the liqueur] can make, even with just 10-12 ml per bottle. It fine-tunes the final product. In some younger wines, we might introduce a brandy spirit: it occasionally works well, sometimes it doesn’t. It adds a certain waxy quality to the palate.’
Is the duration of cork ageing after disgorgement crucial? ‘Absolutely, we ensure that all of these are held for at least six months before departing the warehouse. I prefer them to age longer.’
House of Arras ‘A by Arras’ Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier NV Tasmania
This wine is crafted from fruit harvested in 2017 and 2018, with a dosed sweetness of 4 g/litre. It presents a lively and vibrant character, showcasing wonderful precision complemented by fine toast and a hint of spiciness. The palate offers both depth and finesse, exhibiting a richness that is well-balanced. 91/100
House of Arras ‘A by Arras Rosé’ Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier NV Tasmania
Made from the 2017 and 2018 vintages, this blend includes 5% red wine. It displays a pale pink to orange hue and offers delightful focus, revealing notes of cherry, pear, and citrus fruits. It possesses a brightness alongside a certain depth, resulting in a very stylish profile. 91/100
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay NV Tasmania
This wine comprises 80% fruit from the 2017 and 2018 harvests, integrated with some 2-5 year old reserve Blanc de Blancs. It has a dosage of 5 g/litre. The palate showcases lovely weight with flavors of pear and white peach, accompanied by a touch of toastiness. It maintains a good balance of freshness and depth. 90/100
House of Arras Brut Elite Cuvée 1601 Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV Tasmania
This cuvée opens with aromas of fine toast, herbs, and spice, along with hints of mandarin. It is elegant and taut with a complex profile. Although it showcases some toasty development, it remains remarkably fresh. 93/100
House of Arras Brut Elite Rosé Cuvée 1801 Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier NV Tasmania
Grapes are hand-selected and only free-run juice is used, with four years of aging on lees. The nose is vibrant and focused, exuding freshness and finesse. The palate is bright, toasty, and herbal with hints of spice, citrus flavors, and a pleasant acidity. Remarkable quality. 93/100
House of Arras Grand Vintage Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2015 Tasmania
This blend consists of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir, aged for seven years with a dosage of 3 g/l. It presents a fine and focused profile, radiating brightness from the sophisticated notes of pear and citrus. The palate is slightly saline, showcasing pure fruit and a touch of toast. An embodiment of finesse. 95/100
House of Arras Vintage Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2014 Tasmania
Including 5% red wine and aged for seven years with a dosage of 3 g/l, this wine features taut cherry, lemon, and mandarin fruit combined with delicate spices. It strikes a balance between elegance and depth, demonstrating impressive precision and finesse. 95/100
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs Vintage Chardonnay 2014 Tasmania
This selection of Chardonnay is matured in premium oak, with a dosage of 3 g/l. It is exceptionally fine and expressive, revealing lovely purity with a touch of toastiness. The wine boasts powerful citrus flavors, characterized by tautness and subtle waxy, saline details, coupled with notable brightness. Excellent intensity. 95/100
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs Museum Release 2004 Tasmania
Disgorged in March 2020 after spending 15 years on the lees. A total of 405 bottles were produced with a dosage of 2 g/l. This wine is complex and taut, boasting a lovely intensity of creamy and spicy citrus fruit. It presents a powerful profile, with nuances of nuts, wax, and cherry intermingling. The intensity and complexity of this release are remarkable, earning a fine rating of 96 out of 100.