The southern Italian grape fiano has had a relatively meteoric rise in Australia. It’s not quite ready to push chardonnay, pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc off the podium anytime soon, but in a tick over 15 years it has risen to be readily identifiable by both keen wine drinkers and those more casual. But it’s not that long ago that the grape was nearing extinction in its homeland, with the low-yielding vines shunned for more productive varieties. But a renaissance in its ancestral region of Campania was followed by a push into warmer zones – such as Sicily – that was shadowed by a similar, albeit more modest, investment in our own arid zones. Today, with well over 50 makers turning out examples, fiano has found its second home here. And, naturally, that necessitates a deep dive.
We gathered every Australian varietal fiano we could find and set our expert panel the task of finding the wines that compelled the most. All wines were tasted blind, and each panellist named their top six wines. Below are the wines that made the panellists’ top-six selections from the tasting.
Our panel: Dr Ray Nadeson, owner and winemaker Lethbridge Estate; Isabelle Szyman, wine buyer Rathdowne Cellars; Abby Moret DipWSET, owner Atlas Vinifera; Michael Trembath, director Trembath & Taylor; James Scarcebrook, owner and winemaker Vino Intrepido; Kara Maisano DipWSET, Wine Director Masani; Iona Baker DipWSET, Trembath & Taylor. All wines were tasted blind.
Santolin ‘Cosa Nostra’ Fiano
This came second for Moret’s in the tasting. “Wet river stones, peaches, lemonade and wildflowers all contribute to a really fresh, lively nose,” she wrote. “A rich, aromatic style that strikes an excellent balance due to zippy acidity and a fine phenolic structure stopping it crossing the line from opulent into flabby or over the top. Very drinkable, and a nice sidestep for chardonnay drinkers looking for something with a bit of weight.”
Read full article here: https://younggunofwine.com/australias-best-fiano/
