Danilo Thomain "Enfer d'Arvier" Valle d'Aosta, 2021

The Name... Enfier d’Arvier means the “hell of Arvier,” a reference to the intense heat of this vineyard site in summer. The vineyards are situated in a steeply terraced “bowl” that faces directly south and the heat is intensely concentrated on the vines. It is a tiny but rather remarkable site. Wine has been made there since at least the 13th century. This vineyard is a part of the “high valley” just south of Morgex et La Salle, an area that is high in elevation even by the standards of the mountainous Valle d’Aosta.

The Region... “The entire DOC of Enfer d’Arvier is about 5 hectares. [Danilo] Thomain owns about one hectare and is the sole independent producer of this wine (the rest, I believe, is vinified by a co-op). He produces about 2400 bottles or so annually. The wine is vinified in cuve and is made from the Petit Rouge grape. The wine is coarse with compelling wild berry characteristics … simple, unrefined, delicious.” - Neal Rosenthal

The Grape... Petit Rouge is often made into a wine that tastes like a spicy Beaujolais, a perfect refreshing red for a hike around Mont Blanc or the Matterhorn, with traditional regional foods like fontina or mocetta, a local prosciutto made from ibex and chamois.