House of Arras Brut Elite Cuvée 1601 NV
£34.95
The wine
Light straw with green and gold hues. A lifted, complex nose of white stone fruit, grapefruit pith and lanolin.
Fruit comes primarily from the Derwent Valley. House of Arras is Australia most decorated sparkling house, drawing Tasmanian fruit and holding its wines on lees far longer than almost anyone outside Champagne. Long lees ageing is where the toasted, bready depth comes from: it is time on the dead yeast cells that builds it, and only a wine with real concentration can take that many years. Tasmania is the coolest wine region in Australia, and the acidity its long, slow season preserves is exactly what a traditional-method base wine needs.
The producer
House of Arras
View all House of Arras winesHouse of Arras is Australia's most celebrated sparkling wine house, crafting world-class traditional-method wines in cool, pristine Tasmania. Under the visionary Ed Carr, it has redefined what Australian fizz can be. Its wines rival the finest Champagne.
The grapes come from Tasmania's cool-climate vineyards, where long, gentle ripening gives the fruit its finesse and racy acidity. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir lead, made by the classic method with extended ageing on the lees. This patience is the secret to their complexity.
The range spans the approachable A by Arras and Brut Elite cuvées, the elegant Blanc de Blancs and the profound, long-aged Grand Vintage and Vintage Rosé. Each shows remarkable depth and precision. They are benchmarks of the New World.
House of Arras wines combine richness with racy freshness and great finesse. They are made for celebration and the finest tables. Australian sparkling at its very summit.
