House of Arras 2017 Vintage Pack ($115 a bottle)

The perfect introduction to the iconic Australian sparkling wines of Arras.

Three Pack contains 1 bottle each of the following :

• House of Arras Grand Vintage 2017
• House of Arras Vintage Rose 2017
• House of Arras Blanc de Blancs 2017

 

House of Arras Grand Vintage 2017

Light, bright yellow/straw in the glass, with aromas of herbs, celeriac and green apple, smoky/toasty tertiary characters in the background, and everything in lovely balance—no one thing dominating. The mousse is creamy on the palate with fluffy texture and a lovely dry, appetising finish which is soft, balanced and dry. Great length and tension. A seriously smart sparkling wine, ageing slowly and gracefully. 98 points – Huon Hooke, The Real Review

 

69/31% chardonnay/pinot noir fermented in a combination of stainless steel and new tightly grained French oak barriques (6%), disgorged November ’24. Finely bubbled, with an expressive swell of grapefruit, lemon, apple and poached pear fruits with underlying nuances of fresh brioche, apple butter, crushed stone, ocean breeze, nougat and crème brûlée. The toasty tones grow on the palate, along with grilled nuts and soft spice. A tight, umami-rich acidity brings everything into line and provides a harmonious cadence as the wine sails forward. Finishes long and true with just a light phenolic texture and ample complexity. 96 points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

 

House of Arras Vintage Rose 2017

A combination of 73% Pinot Noir and 27% Chardonnay, displaying a mesmerizing rose-gold colour. If it’s true that we buy first with our eyes, then shut up and take my money. We’re again in low-dosage territory, with only 3.1 g/L. And the fruit shines. A vibrant, lifted, mildly aromatic yet composed nose, so gently perfumed yet so incisive, unfurls notes of distilled redcurrant, cherry, fresh rose, and lavender. Utterly gentle on the palate yet ticking all the boxes: an uber fine perlage caresses the mouth with its velvety touch, as if wearing a silk glove. The finish is tense and precise, with a satisfyingly chalky bite. 98 points – Lisa Cardelli, Wine Pilot

 

Very pale salmon colour, a very delicately coloured rosé. Discreet, subtle bouquet framing smoky, toasty and nutty aromas, with background traces of pastry and a hint of dried strawberry. The wine is bright and energetic in the mouth, delicate yet intense, with piercing flavour that is layered and complex, dry and refreshing at the finish and entertaining to the last drop. The finish is extremely long with beautifully judged phenolics adding structure and drive. An outstanding sparkling rosé. 98 points – Huon Hooke, The Real Review

 

73/27% pinot noir/chardonnay fermented in a combination of stainless steel and new French oak barriques (5.5%); dosage 3.1g/L, disgorged November ’24. Energetic, with a superfine bead and mousse and aromas of red apple, red cherry and redcurrant with layers of soft spice, grilled nuts, sea spray, stone and distant wafts of rosewater and a suggestion of Turkish delight. Coal River pinot leads here with some Upper Derwent and Ouse fruit to, as Ed Carr says, ‘pull the sides in and tighten it up’. There is a layered complexity to this wine that is just gorgeous, and a sapid, minerally driveline that seems to pull the wine across the palate. Finishes long and graceful with an impressive length of flavour. It’s a stunner. 96 points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

 

House of Arras Blanc de Blancs 2017

A spectacular Blanc de Blancs. It is a wonderfully elegant, complex wine with an enduring base of grapefruit, lemon and apple accented with nuances of sea spray, crushed stone, ozone, white peach, grilled nuts and apple pastries. It boasts the finest aromatics of the new releases and the time on lees has built a layered palate of brioche, lemon curd, crème fraîche and proving sourdough. The detail and tension on the palate is spot on, with an elegance of structure. The wine slowly fades with soft spice, grapefruit and apple sorbet, the flavours stretching on for a good time indeed. 96 points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

 

A smidge of reduction to start, after seven years on lees, it’s more than understandable that it needs a few moments to stretch its legs. Then the race is on: flashes of poached quince and Jazz apple, salted grapefruit and fresh cream bun, vanilla pod, gently toasted Brazil nuts, Meyer lemon, and an earthy hint of white button mushrooms. On the palate, the tanginess and liveliness say it all, with notes of Jazz apple, citrus fruit, and a touch of jasmine, before shifting into honeyed toast and closing on a pristine line of acidity with plenty of mineral-driven chalk character. There’s a bite of minerality that leaves the palate clean, with a feathery sensation — as though it were lulling you on the surface of the water. 95 points – Lisa Cardelli, Wine Pilot