On a brutally steep amphitheater of rock high in the Italian Alps, Danilo Thomain is the only independent vigneron working one of Italy's smallest appellations.
Backstory
The Thomain story begins in 1920 with Giuseppe, continued through his son Maurizio, and is now carried by Danilo, who runs the entirely family operation. Beginning with the 2023 vintage, the name of Danilo's son Amedeo also appears on the label, marking the next generation.
The Region
The winery sits in the small village of Arvier, about 14 kilometers from Aosta, in Italy's tiny alpine Valle d'Aosta. Its wine comes from the Enfer d'Arvier appellation, a natural bowl of vineyards whose shape concentrates the sun's heat, earning it the name 'the Hell of Arvier.' The whole appellation covers only about five to seven hectares.
Vineyards & Farming
Thomain works roughly one to two hectares of steep, rocky terraces on the right bank of the Dora Baltea river, climbing from about 680 to 800 meters in elevation, with some Petit Rouge vines reaching around 95 years old. The fruit is harvested by hand.
Winemaking
Fermentation is spontaneous, and the wine ferments and ages in stainless steel and fiberglass in his cold rock cellar, keeping the focus on the high-altitude fruit.
The Wine
The single wine, Enfer d'Arvier, is built around Petit Rouge (the overwhelming majority of the blend) with small whispers of Pinot Noir and Gamay. It is a fresh, savory, distinctly alpine red that has earned international recognition far beyond its tiny production.
