Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma Valley 2019

Nestled between Austria, Slovenia and the rest of Italy, Friuli has been silently growing over the centuries just like the “arbe garbe” or bad weeds found in that area. Friuli hides in the valleys of the Eastern Hills and the wine being made there has been free flowing on every kitchen table in every village in the region. Proprietors, Enrico and Letizia, grew up in Friuli, fell in love in high school, later picked grapes to earn cash for university, and finally moved to America in 1994. After working a couple of harvests at Sine Qua Non under Manfred Krankl's guidance, they moved to Napa Valley, where Enrico worked harvests at Joseph Phelps, Girard, and eventually became the head winemaker at Flora Springs. Though crafting modern Napa Valley Cabernet had become his new way of life, the wines of Friuli still had a place in his heart, which led him to the launch of Arbe Garbe inspired by his homeland. On the hunt for varietals similar to the grapes grown back home in Friuli, Enrico and Letizia found themselves foraging vineyards in the Russian River Valley, and in 2007 launched their own label! They make their wines like they raise their children: no set rules and no recipes, because each vintage is unique just like each child is. 

“The variables of wine-making -or childbearing- are determined “as vintage calls”: in-depth study, careful observation and raw guts. With a purely hedonistic approach, we create ever-changing blends that embrace the melting pot we live in – California, and the one we’ve left behind.” ~Enrico and Letizia 

This truly is a knockout wine; a favorite of ours year after year! Fresh and delicious, Arbe Garbe captures all of the elements we love in a refreshing, aromatic white wine. The 2019 vintage is perfectly balanced and delightful. 50% Malvasia Bianca blended with 30% Tocai Friulano and 20% Chardonnay from three separate vineyards in Russian River Valley and Sonoma Valley. The palate is clean, dry, crisp, stony and sporting some welcome roundness. 12 hours of skin contact for the Malvasia and the Tocai followed by light pressing and native fermentation in puncheons. The Chardonnay was whole cluster pressed. In order to extract more flavor after fermentation, the wine is stirred on the lees for the first 3 months, then once a month after that until being bottled.