If you’re a young winemaker looking to start a domaine, the safe option is to head somewhere away from the spotlight. Breaking through as an outsider in Barolo, Italy’s most illustrious wine village, is a far more daunting challenge. But Tom Myers, a single-minded Kiwi who previously worked at an impressive array of the world’s greatest domaines (Alain Graillot, Marquis d’Angerville, Rinaldi...) has the determination and the talent it takes. When we first tasted his Cantina d’Arcy wines we couldn’t believe how impressive they were. We immediately decided to import them.
Cantina d’Arcy started in 2019, when Tom and his pal Philine Isabelle Dienger signed a lease on 1.2ha of Barolo's 'Preda' Cru, dividing the vines between them. After persuading enough people to pre-purchase his as yet unmade Barolo, Tom produced his first vintage from the 2020 harvest.
Inspired by local winemaking tradition, Tom uses open-top containers, wild yeast fermentations and large barrels to craft open and inviting wines.
"My favourite ever wines, from Domaine Leroy and Soldera, are all immediately generous and intellectually stimulating – so I asked myself what I had to do with Nebbiolo to get that kind of experience," he says.
It’s an ambitious aim, but the wines deliver. Both the Langhe and the Barolo offer richness and detail that is the hallmark of top Nebbiolo. For fans of the grape, these are some of the most exciting new offerings around.
