Arneis from the far side of the Tanaro, where the sandy soils are full of marine fossils. Fuller and riper than the Langhe version, with peach, melon and a surprising saline undertone.
Straw yellow with a golden gleam, a shade deeper than the Langhe Arneis. The nose is ripe and generous: white peach, melon and apricot, with a floral note above and a hint of herbs. The palate is broader and rounder than its counterpart from the other bank, the soft acidity carrying the body rather than pulling it taut. Halfway through the sandy soil comes forward as a clear saline, almost savoury minerality that runs into the finish. That finish is long for an Arneis and ends dry. Serve at 8 to 10 degrees; a cheese risotto shows it at its best.
Cantina Francone has worked out of Neive, in the heart of Barbaresco, since 1892. Five generations on, Marco and Fabrizio Francone run the family estate, whose reputation rests above all on the Gallina hill: a south-facing cru listed on Renato Ratti's historic map of Barbaresco crus.
For the Magìa the estate crosses the Tanaro. The grapes come from Castagnito and Priocca, two communes in the Roero where the soil is rich in sand, marl and marine fossils — a wholly different subsoil from the clay of Neive.
That sand holds little water and drives the roots deep. It yields smaller berries with more concentrated juice, and it is why this Arneis turns out fuller than its namesake from the Langhe.
Hand-picked in mid-September, slowly pressed and gradually fermented at 16 degrees. After that only a short rest in tank and into bottle: oak would simply get in the way here.
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