Bera e Figli Arcese Bianco 2021

Bera is in the part of Piemonte that is famous for Moscato d'Asti, a famously bulk-produced, sweet wine. They wouldn't be the most obvious place to look for some of the most progressive, natural winemaking and farming in Europe, but that is in fact the case. They are a true outlier in the Canelli area, where Moscato has been planted since the 1300s and their estate dates to 1785 when the Bera's ancestors bought the property from the Knights of Malta. As Alessandra Bera says, "My father took over the estate from my grandfather in 1964 and continued working the exact same way. He once told me ‘Why should I poison myself? My father was able to work without chemicals so why can't I?’” 

Though Bera makes far and away the best Moscato d’Asti, in my humble opinion, 'Arcese' is not Moscato but a blend of the other white grapes they farm: mostly Arneis and Cortese, with some Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, and Favorita. Some vintages are made with zero sulfur additions, some have a tiny amount; so when bottled with a bit of leftover sugar this wine will often have a little spritz that gives it a lively kick. Super easy to drink, it's lower-acid and softly perfumed, a lovely bottle to open for midday refreshments, perfect with some focaccia, bagna cauda, or spicy Sichuan cusine. Jonathan Kemp