This is an interesting local version of garganega from the King Valley in Victoria. It’s the same grape variety as Soave in north eastern Italy and fits the King Valley’s Italian influence. In the glass, it has aromas of smoke and stone. The palate is dry, full bodied and the acidity medium. An approachable style that disappears quickly in the glass. Rating: Good. Abv: 12.5. Price: $20. Website: http://www.rangelifewine.com.au. Reviewed: May 2020.
Pale red in colour, Pizzini’s sangiovese from the King Valley in Victoria and the 2018 vintage has an aroma of tobacco and red fruits. The palate has a medium-full body, moderate tannins and a warming finish. Ready to drink now. Rating: Good. Abv: 13.4. Price: $20+. Website: https://www.pizzini.com.au. Reviewed: March 2020.
Fiano clearly works in the King Valley in Victoria. This is a correct varietal expression of fiano from De Bortoli with attractive lemon and almond aromatics. The palate is full bodied, savoury and has a subtle but firm acidity. Delicious and ready to drink now, this is a very good release. Rating: Good. Price: $20s. Abv: 12%. Website: https://www.debortoli.com.au.
This is an interesting Prosecco from Austin & Co in the King Valley in Victoria. I’ve written a bit about prosecco recently, it being the name of a grape variety in Australia and a region in north eastern Italy which has created some confusion. You can read about that here. This is of course an Australian version of prosecco. What surprised me however was that this is bottled in a regular 750ml bottle under screw cap. It had rather expected I was opening a prosecco in table wine format – an interesting thought of itself – rather than a sparkling wine! But sparkling it is. Clearly, the pressure of the wine is able to be withstood by this seal.
As mentioned, I quite liked what’s inside the bottle. The wine has lemon and floral aromatics. Dry with a creamy mousse and medium length, this prosecco presents as a balanced and pleasant sparkling wine.
Rating: Good
Abv: 11.5%
Price: $20
Source: sample
Vendors and website: http://www.austinsandco.com.au
Tasted: 2016
Bella Riva is a De Bortoli label with fruit sourced from the King Valley. I couldn’t help but think that this blend of pinot gris and vermentino worked. It is perhaps a safe ledge that might tempt those wishing to diversify from sauvignon blanc towards it. The wine itself is water-white in colour, with a pale intensity of expression. Its aromatics are of salt and lemons, and the palate reminds of green mango, lemon and has enough length and mid palate depth to be of interest. This is a balanced blend that provides enjoyment and something a little different at this price point, and is ready to drink now. Acceptable
Abv: 12.5%
Price: $15
Source: sample
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.debortoli.com.au
Tasted: 2013
Subscribe: Please enter your email address in the subscription icon on the right of screen to keep up-to-date by email. You will not receive any advertising, nor will your information be shared.
Pizzini is a producer from the King Valley in northern Victoria and their sangiovese is generally a safe bet. But the 2011 vintage was not a kind one in the region, and not in fact the vintage I had ordered off the restaurant list, but that is another story. Significant rain, disease pressure and very slow ripening conditions created difficulties for red wine grapes in the King Valley in 2011. And so it is that the 2011 vintage of Pizzini’s sangiovese falls short of its usual standard. Aromatically, it is more oak than earth, with unexpected popcorn butter notes. The palate too appeared to be oak dominant, with some savoury acid edges. Its ameliorating feature is some quite good length, but overall, the impression is of a struggle to make something out of a lesser vintage. Acceptable
Abv: Not recorded.
Price: $25
Vendors: Check http://www.wine-searcher.com/
Website: http://www.pizzini.com.au
Tasted: 2012