Without getting too nerdy, Australia is geographically a fantastic place to grow vines for making wine. We’re situated almost the opposite to Europe from the equator and along with New Zealand, we can produce a variety of wines thanks to our various climates and soil conditions.
What this is means is that when someone like the folks behind Stefano de Pieri’s wine label brings Italian vines to Australia, they flourish. The benefits in this happening is vast, one of the biggest being price, no need to import Italian varietals, they can come from somewhere like Mildura with a lower price point.
We’ve recently been sampling three bottles from Stefano de Pieri; a Sangiovese, Nero D’Avola and a Vermentino.
Vermentino is the bottle you want to have in the fridge before guests arrive and serve almost immediately. It originates from Sardinia in Italy and is a really lovely and soft white wine. If you love Sauvignon Blanc then this is going to be your Italian match. If you’re cooking seafood then this bottle deserves a place next to the grilled fish and prawns.
Sangiovese is a common wine from Italy, it will please Pinot Noir drinkers and will pair well with tomato-based dishes such as spaghetti bolognese or an osso buco. The higher acid in the wine clashes perfectly with the acid in the tomato sauces and it is very complimentary.
Nero d’Avola comes from Sicily and will give you a similar mouth feel to the Sangiovese so will also please lovers of Pinot Noir. We love this with a Sunday roast or a barbecue of steaks and sausages. It is a little softer with lower tannins so it might be one you serve before the food even arrives.
There are plenty more Italian varieties coming through in Australia and we’re so lucky to be able to have this available at our doorsteps.
The three examples of the above that we tasted from Stefano de Pieri were excellent and all priced below $20 a bottle. You’ll find them from Cellarmasters so you can be ready to enjoy them by summer… or earlier!
