Grosjean Vallée d’Aoste Petite Arvine 2020
The Grosjean family traces its roots back to the village of Fornet in the high mountain passes of the Valle d’Aosta known as Valgrisenche where they raised cattle. During the summer months, the family cultivated grapes and chestnuts on the slopes at lower altitude, stocking up on wine to supply themselves over the long winters. In 1969, Dauphin Grosjean, the father of the five sons that now collaborate to produce the wines of this estate, was encouraged to present his wine at the local “wine expo”. The exceptional quality of his work was recognized and the entire family became engaged in the expansion of the vineyards and in the production of wine.
The estate has now grown to encompass seven hectares of vineyards. The domaine is located in the hamlet of Ollignan on the border of the towns of Quart and Saint Christophe and includes “cru” vineyard sites such as Tzeriat, Rovettaz, Creton and Touren in Quart, plus Tzantè de Bagnere, Merletta and Castello di Pleod in Saint Christophe. After starting out with the traditional Petit Rouge along with some Gamay, Pinot Noir and Petite Arvine, the Grosjeans have planted other local varietals such as Fumin, Cornalin, Premetta and Vuillermin. Sustainable farming techniques have been in place since 1975: only organic fertilizers are applied and no pesticides or herbicides are used. Natural yeasts are utilized for fermentation.
The only indigenous white variety at the estate, the Grosjean family’s Petite Arvine is bright and fragrant with notes of citrus and fennel. This wine has a solid structure that allows it to be enjoyed young or with substantial bottle age. This wine pairs perfectly with spicy dishes with can be paired with Petite Arvine are Barley Risotto with Mushroom and Gremolata, Sicilian vegetable lasagna, mac and cheese, Chinese Ravioli (aka dumplings in all their pork and soup dumpling glory), and rice noodles sautéed with vegetables.
Depending on the vintage, the grapes are normally picked in October. The wine is currently aged partly in steel and partly in oak (70% stainless steel and 30% used barriques), but vintages of the 1990s and early 2000s saw no oak aging whatsoever. In my experience, and unlike most excellent Swiss examples of Petite Arvine wines, Grosjean’s version has slightly less juicy acidity, less salinity, and less obvious notes of pineapple and tropical fruit.
This wine underwent a long fermentation on the lees with repeated “bâtonnage” (lees-stirring) for the first month after fermentation. Bright and fragrant with notes of citrus and fennel, this wine has a solid structure that allows it to be enjoyed young or with substantial bottle age.
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Petite Arvine |
| Appellation | Vallée d‘Aoste |
| Vineyard | Rovettaz |
| Designation | DOC |
| Alcohol | 13.50% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Country of Origin | ITALY |
| State of Origin | N/A |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
Petite Arvine is a varietal indigenous to the Valais in Switzerland, which is just across the border from the Valle d'Aosta in the northwest corner of Italy where this wine comes from. Petite Arvine was first planted at Grosjean in the early 1980s on highly sandy soils with a medium limestone content. The grapes have been organically farmed since 2011 and had to be irrigated for their first three years of life, as drought is always a potential problem in the region. The vineyard sits at 550-700 meters above sea level and has a 70% slope, so the family built terraces to allow for normal vineyard work and harvesting.
