Our range of Australian wines wouldn鈥檛 be complete without the iconic sparkling wines from Arras in Tasmania.
After all, Tyson Stelzer has claimed that 鈥渘o region anywhere on the planet outside of Champagne itself makes sparkling as exceptionally as Tasmania鈥�. The cool climate with maritime influence and plenty of summer daylight, combined with Tasmania鈥檚 ancient soil, are perfect for creating the top sparkling wine.
It鈥檚 not surprising that Arras has won Decanter Magazine Sparkling Wine of the Year 2020. Clearly, Ed Carr鈥檚 belief that Tasmania鈥檚 sparkling wines could rival those from the rest of the world has paid off. Ed received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Champagne and Sparkling World Championships in 2018 鈥� the only non-Champenois winemaker to receive the award.
As Australia鈥檚 most awarded winemaker, and with 42 years鈥� experience under his belt, there鈥檚 no better man to be at the helm of Arras than Ed Carr. Since he established House of Arras in 1995, the reputation of Australian sparkling wine has been significantly elevated.
Arras means 鈥渞ich tapestry鈥�, giving a nod to the rich vineyard selection from six regions that they source from: Tamar Valley, Pipers River, Coal River Valley, East Coast, Huon Valley, and Derwent Valley. The specially selected regions, and the time the wine spends in tirage, are what sets it apart from many other sparkling wines. 聽聽
The Arras Brut Elite 1501 NV includes some oak fermented wine, and had an extended maturation on lees. The expedition dosage adds to the wine鈥檚 complexity, with firm natural acidity on the palate, red fruit notes, and flavours of brioche.
No stone is left unturned to create the Arras Grand Vintage. Matured in tirage for a minimum of nine years, its depth and complexity can compete with the world鈥檚 finest cuvees. The elegant palate displays characters of toasted sourdough, field mushrooms, lemon curd, and malted barley. To quote Ed: 鈥淭hese wines express their age, they express their origin. This gives Arras a uniqueness which is our style - it's an essence, it's a magical part of winemaking to be able to take wines to this age.鈥�
