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Ed Carr has been the head winemaker at Arras since 1998. This year he was awarded ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the IWC. James Halliday calls him “a quietly spoken genius, whose name should be known around the world. He is, by some considerable distance, Australia’s greatest sparkling winemaker.”
Ed has always sourced his fruit from seven of Tasmania’s best wine-growing regions: Tamar Valley, Pipers River (where House of Arras is based), Coal River Valley, the East Coast, Huon Valley, Derwent Vally and Devonport. Offering a patchwork of soils, aspects and climatic conditions, each vineyard contributes unique characters to the final blend. Ed saw earlier than others the potential for sparkling wine in Tasmania, as the cool climate yields vibrant, acid-driven fruit that is perfectly suited for secondary fermentation and, crucially, extensive lees-ageing. Ed is a proponent of lengthy triage, much to the horror of his accountants, insisting on lees-ageing his vintage wines for at least six years before disgorgement. As a result, the Arras sparkling wines display great depth and complexity.
‘A by Arras’ NV is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, and is lees aged for 30 months before disgorgement. This ageing period is considerably shorter than the Arras norm, and offers a lighter interpretation of Ed’s distinctive style.
Medium straw in colour with a bright gold hue, the A by Arras Premium Cuvee NV has a crystal clear appearance with a fine and persistent bead. The palate has opulent flavours reminiscent of lychee, butter sautéed mushroom, natural yoghurt and fresh oyster.