Arkansas is a state in the south-central United States, bordered by Texas to the southwest and Mississippi to the east. Although nearly half of Arkansas' 75 counties are "Dry" (the rigors of Prohibition are still with us), the state has a small but growing wine industry. It is concentrated mainly around the Arkansas River, on the southern edge of the Boston Mountains. Both vinifera and Hybrid grapes are grown in the state, with Chardonnay, Merlot, Niagara and Muscadine among the most important plantings.
Arkansas covers an area of approximately 137,000 square miles, ranging from the flat, wetlands along the Mississippi River to the mountains in the northern Part of the state. Most of the state's vineyards are located along the Arkansas River in the northwest. It is here that the state's three sub-AVAs are found, forming three concentric circles, one within the other. The relatively small town of Altus is in the Center, surrounded by the very large Arkansas Mountain, which in turn fits comfortably into the colossal Ozark Mountain.
Emmanuelle Verset is the sixth generation to make wine in her family, and represents the E in Domaine A&E Verset. The A is for Alain, her father. She took over from him in 2016 at the age of 24, and is one of the few female winemakers in Cornas. The Verset name runs deep in this part of the Rhône. You might have heard of Noël Verset (1919 – 2015), whose bottles are highly sought-after today – Noël was Alain’s uncle. Scroll down to see Matt Walls tasting notes and scores for six Domaine A& ...
The voice drops a little; the tone grows more reverential. Everyone knows; everyone understands. There will be wry allusions to a quest, perhaps even the grail. Sacrifice is expected en route; failure (always forgiven: a badge of honour) beckons on every side. Kitted up, your hopes armour-plated? I might be talking about planting vines on a cleared slope, or simply about taking the corkscrew to a ridiculously expensive bottle of wine, but you all know by now what’s meant. Pinot Noir. ‘Pinotism’ ...
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