Advertisement

Wine of the Week: 2010 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis ‘Vigne Sparse’

2010 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis “Vigne Sparse.”
2010 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis “Vigne Sparse.”
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Times Restaurant Critic

Arneis was a grape that was practically extinct when Alfredo Currado of Vietti and Bruno Giacosa brought it back from obscurity in the early ‘70s. Theirs are still benchmark examples, but I also like very much the Arneis from Giovanni Almondo.

On one of these lovely spring evenings, this 2010 Arneis makes a perfect aperitif. It’s light and refreshing, perfumed with white peaches. And yet there’s an underlying minerality that gives it some weight. Never one-dimensional, Almondo’s 2010 “Vigne Sparse” Arneis is one of the best I’ve tasted. It’s dangerous to open a bottle too soon, though: It may not quite make it to the table.

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Price: About $19

Style: Light and refreshing

What it goes with: Grilled shrimp, fish tacos, seafood pasta and paella, Asian food

Where to find it: Du Vin Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, (310) 855-1161, https://www.du-vin.com; Mission Wines in South Pasadena, (626) 403-9463, https://www.missionwines.com; and Wally’s Wine & Spirits in West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606, https://www.wallywine.com.

Advertisement

Eat your way across L.A.

Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

Advertisement
Advertisement