Petite Arvine Les Cretes 2014

The Petite Arvine is an Aosta Valley native grape variety on which the winery Les Cretes of Aymavilles has made an important work of enhancement. The Petite Arvine is so called because of the small berries which form the cluster. Its paternity is still disputed between Valle d'Aosta and Switzerland, although a Swiss research of the Changin Institute shows that the Petite Arvine now cultivated in Switzerland comes from the imported variety of Orious, a family that collects experimentally all the strains of native species. The company Les Cretes makes wine out of pure Petite Arvine since 1992, a period when its production was only just beginning. The grapes are grown in vineyards highly fragmented, with high plant density due to the slope of the land and sandy soils that provide optimal conditions for the handling of native grapes. The enhancement of this terroir is part of a careful management of the vineyards, with a substantial reduction by Les Cretes in the use of chemical fertilization and pesticides. The key area of Petite Arvine production is situated on the hill in front of Coteau La Tour, in a landscape mainly dominated by the arduous slopes of vineyards. In this extraordinary mountain area Les Cretes has created a unique relation between the influences of natural agents and the development of Petite Arvine, creating a fresh and mineral wine, with intense aromatic components and a strong roundness.