Briccotondo Arneis
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fresh seafood dishes, light pasta with basil pesto, and soft goat cheeses.
✨ Technical Specifications
The historic Fontanafredda estate, founded in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy, as a gift for his beloved mistress Rosa Vercellana, is steeped in Piedmontese lore. The Briccotondo Arneis represents a modern, vibrant tribute to the region's indigenous white grape, Arneis, which translates to 'little rascal' in local dialect due to its notoriously difficult nature in the vineyard. Historically, Arneis was planted alongside Nebbiolo to draw birds away from the precious red grapes or to soften Nebbiolo's fierce tannins. In this single-varietal bottling, Fontanafredda coaxes out the grape's finest qualities using temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation to preserve its delicate, fresh character. The resulting wine showcases the classic Langhe terroir with expressive notes of white peach, pear, and acacia flowers, underpinned by a distinct mineral streak and a hallmark bitter almond finish.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of unified Italy, as an estate for his mistress Rosa Vercellana, Fontanafredda evolved into a foundational pillar of Piedmontese viticulture under their son, Count Emanuele Alberto di Mirafiore. The historic estate encompasses 120 hectares of certified organic vineyards centered in Serralunga d'Alba, an area distinguished by compact Helvetian limestone-marl soils and elevated south- and southwest-facing slopes between 200 and 400 meters. Acquired in 2008 by Oscar Farinetti and Luca Baffigo, the property underwent a viticultural renaissance, securing full organic certification with the 2018 harvest. In the nineteenth-century cellars, winemaking merges technical precision with classical Piedmontese restraint, relying on long macerations, stainless steel vinification for fragrant whites, and maturation in neutral Slavonian oak botti for its noble reds. Iconic bottlings include the cru Barolo Vigna La Rosa, Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba, Roero Arneis Pradalupo, and the pioneering Alta Langa Metodo Classico sparkling wines.