‘Our Arneis wants to show the freshness and crispiness of this variety,’ Giovanna, one half of the dynamic Brandini duo, notes. ‘It has unique herbaceous aromatics – sage, thyme, rosemary – with white flowers – orange blossoms – and is pure, fresh, and vertical with good acidity and a long finish.’ Arneis went through some troubled times a few decades ago and got a bad rap, but luckily these days respect has returned to this grape and it’s time for it to reach its potential. Calcareous sandy soils are also part of the Arneis matrix of high quality and expected lift for a variety that struggles in heavy soils or when overplayed in the cellar with too much hand in the wine — inert vessels, like stainless steel, serve Arneis well. At Brandini, the golden Arneis berries are whole cluster pressed and naturally ferment; the lowering of temperature (rather than thumping the wine with sulfites) prohibits malolactic fermentation. Stirred a few times during aging to bring a little more texture to the body and highlight the floral elements. Medium-bodied with pear, melon, and a hint of beeswax on the palate, bright but creamy with a refreshing acidic finish and gentle minerality that mingles with a slight honey note.