Who better to ask what’s trending in the vino world right now than knowledgeable wine buffs at restaurants, bars and wineries around Australia?
Welcome to our ‘Wine of the Week’ series, where we highlight particular wines to put on your radar for upcoming special events, occasions or just a romantic dinner with your special someone.
This week AGFG readers are truly spoilt with not one but two delicious Fiano wines from iconic Australian winemaker Brown Brothers; along with a stunning Summer seafood recipe from onsite restaurant Head Chef Bodee Price.
If you are seeking 132 years of winemaking excellence paired with seriously good food, head to Brown Brothers Restaurant on Bobinawarrah Road in Milawa. Nestled in Brown Brothers Vineyard, dine alfresco under market umbrellas overlooking the vines, or indoors in a warm and welcoming vibe ideal for enjoying dishes from a menu showcasing freshly picked produce from the kitchen garden alongside estate wines.
Enjoy a plate of kingfish ceviche to start your meal, paired with a glass of 2021 Brown Brothers Winemaker’s Series Fiano – a grape variety originating in Southern Italy and dating back to the 1200s.
Prolific until a grapevine pest all but wiped the varietal out in the late 1800s-early 1900s, Fiano was revived in the 1970s when wines of floral aromatics and medium texture were brought back to the market.
This drop has a light, golden colour and the nose is perfumed by Spring flowers, lemon blossom and green apple; which follow through to the palate with cool climate acidity providing the backbone of this crisp, racy white.
Drinking well now, it will also benefit from short-term aging in the three-year range; accompany your glass with lightly battered whiting fillets, a sashimi platter or triple brie and green apple.
Pizza lovers will be in heaven with a glass of 2022 Brown Brothers Origins Series Fiano and their favourite Neapolitan slice, try it with bocconcini, basil and fresh tomatoes; or perhaps enjoy with lemon and garlic fried sardines and crusty bread.
The grapes for this varietal were grown at the Mystic Park vineyard in North-west Victoria and the upper reaches of King Valley. The colour is light and golden, perfumed by tropical fruits and freshly-cut apples; while the palate is full of citrus and lemon cordial flavours, balanced by Fiano’s incredible natural acidity.
Reminiscent of a salty sea breeze with notes of pineapple, passionfruit and lime, this refreshing crisp white invokes daydreams of an Italian Summer.
