In vino veritas, mate

Hailing from Italy, made in Australia, SAMANTHA PAYNE celebrates the legacy of Australitaliano wines, whatever we call them.

- SAMANTHA PAYNE

There’s a rule in the King Valley, “Never go against the Family”. Much like any family, the region has had its share of triumphs, disputes and dysfunction. And still, watching the producers rally together for the ongoing right to use the term prosecco – referring to the Italian grape these winemakers were raised with – has been nothing short of inspiring.

It’s not surprising when you realise the King Valley wine region was founded on the tenets of family, history and innovation. The Aussie Battler spirit meets the Italian migrant families bringing a piece of home with them – in the shape of sangiovese and nebbiolo grapes more than two decades ago. From the Darling family’s first nebbiolo vintage 20 years ago to now, with Joel Pizzini from Pizzini Wines working with multiple clones of sangiovese over the past two decades, the innovation surrounding legacy and new wave technology hasn’t ceased.

For decades across Australia, there has been increasing focus on planting grapes in climates and terroirs that echo their native landscapes. In the King Valley, this means developing the fondly dubbed “Aussie Made Italians”. The great appeal of Italian varieties is that they maintain good natural acidity and fine tannin in the face of our changing Australian climate. Dry and savoury with structure softened by the generosity of ripe fruit, these are balanced and textural wines that come to life when paired with great produce.