Ask any winemaker about terroir and they’ll return a lecture. Bring up the topic with Ian Brand and it becomes a graduate level course. Brand has found patches of ground that beg for more variety – Gamay, for example, Palamino, Mission or Melon, among others can thrive. Even Arneis, which Piedmont vintners once planted merely to protect their prized Nebbiolo vines from predators, finds its best expression.
The recently released 2021 I. Brand & Family Arneis peals with aromas of ripe apple and citrus zest, with impressions of clover honey and hazelnut. It’s a fresh and welcoming introduction that continues as you start to sip.
It’s brisk on the palate, with a zing of tart apple that calms as juicier notions like tangerine take shape. Underneath this refreshing sensation of fresh fruit, the warmer, more mellow savor of honey and almond loll. The combination resembles the prized lanolin flavor found in top Rieslings, to some extent. Resting in the background, but rising on the finish is a huskier tone of toasted spice and earthy must.
Arneis translates as “Little Rascal” and it can be fiendish during the growing season. But Brand points out that Monterey County and the surrounding area have soils and climate well suited to white wines. Arneis prefers warmer climates and calcium-rich earth.
“One of the underpinnings of the work we do is exploration of the area,” Brand explains. “I’m constantly working with different varietals to find a match.”
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