Malcolm Jolley finds a rare Roero Arneis bargain at the LCBO…
Roero Arneis used to be the bargain wine of Piedmont. It was the white wine the Barolo and Barbaresco makers made for fun. Something to go with the bagna cauda before you got our the serious bottles. Not so much anymore, and $40 and up bottles of the crisp, refreshing white are not at all unusual. So, when one comes through the LCBO in the sweet spot, under $20 price range, I’ll always try it, and I am glad I tried the 2018 Casetta Roero Arneis ($18.95 | LCBO# 26146), now cycling through the Vintages program.
Casetta is a winery that’s actually located in Roero, the DOCG region north of Alba on the other side of the Tanaro River from Alba. Their Arneis is a perfect aperitivo, with solid stone fruit, a slightly aromatic bouquet and a bit of weight in the mouth. You could also take it through a light meal like seafood or an omelette. Or with a BLT on a rainy pandemic day, as I recently did. For $19 it’s certainly worth a try.
