This week at the SAQ #20

In our humble opinion, one of the most interesting grape varieties from southern Italy is possibly Fiano. Generally from Campania and more specifically from the city of Avellino, we are introducing it to you this week as it is grown in the southern hemisphere.

From the Riverland region (South Australia), the Unico Zelo estate specializes in Italian grape varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Zibibbo, and, much to our delight, Fiano. Young winemakers recognized in trendy wine bars, Brendan and Laura Carter work with viticulturists known for the quality of their grapes across various appellations in southern Australia.

It is hard to find a wine better suited for a lovely evening in the sun than this bright, textured, and fresh white. With its ripe aromas of exotic fruits, you will find the classic notes of almonds, stone fruits, and even king cake frangipane. It would almost be caricatural if the terroir effect and the winemaking work weren't so rigorous. We stay at 12% alcohol, and the textured, oily effect makes the whole thing excessively seductive.

A few bottles for evenings with friends, especially the good ones...

• To pair with: a fresh couscous salad with legumes and some garden herbs, supported by a za'atar vinaigrette.
• Fun fact: The first Fiano bottled in Australia was by the Chalmer estate in Heathcote in 2005.
• To better understand Australian wines: Get on the waiting list for our workshop next season.
• If Fiano ever makes you shiver, there are few options in the network right now, but there are still a few bottles of this Fiano di Avellino ‘Empatia’ 2021, Donnachiara $26 at the SAQ ( 15176746)

A few weeks ago, we told you about a South African Albariño as being an interesting rarity. In the same vein, this week we offer you a Uruguayan Albariño as surprising as a soccer victory against Brazil!

There are few Uruguayan wines that land on the shelves of the monopoly. The reason is mainly related to transportation, which is a shame when you realize that this country of 3 million people is a pioneer in quality trends and niches for the Latin American vineyard.

The Garzon estate is the initiative of the Bulgheroni family. Fortunately financially well-off enough to invest heavily in its 240 hectares of vines (out of 2,200 on the property) to promote organic and sustainable viticulture, the owners are now at the forefront of viticultural development on the east coast of Uruguay. Also worth noting is the presence behind the project of the super oenological consultant Alberto Antonini, the Michel Rolland of America.

This Albariño will be quite pale with greenish reflections and fruity aromas evoking peach. Balanced with notes of fresh lemon, it will offer mineral freshness and interesting acidity. With aging of 3 to 6 months on fine lees, its finish on the palate will be long and round.

Unlike Galician Albariños that emphasize salinity, some New World Albariños present a certain sweetness that will make you prefer them by the glass rather than by the bottle.

• To pair with: tuna tataki accompanied by an Asian salad of crunchy vegetables,
• Fun fact: Just like the Tannat introduced by a Basque immigrant, the Albariño is the result of a Galician immigrant who brought the grape variety in 1954,
• To better understand Albariño: We will offer an aperitif-focused workshop on this great traveler in the spring of 2025,
• Continue your exploration of the grape variety with an American variation from the Edna Valley in California, Tangent Albariño 2022, $28 at the SAQ (15250758)

The Colli Euganei appellation in Veneto is fascinating in many respects, and the estates that work there are just as much so, even when they present us with wines ‘declassified’ to IGP. In the case of this Venda from the Vignalta estate, we will ignore the label that recalls a banquet in Saint-Léonard to focus on the precision of the terroir and the viticultural mastery of Lucio Gomiero, even if the wine is Veneto IGP.

Since 1980, the latter has been farming 50 hectares on the volcanic slopes of the best terroirs of this region, which is actually a protected natural park. Colli Euganei is the direct result of a volcanic eruption that pushed the mountain upward and brought chalky soils from the Po Valley to complement the disintegrated lava soils. The current gentle slopes are therefore perfectly suitable for creating rich but delicate wines that push Merlots and Cabernets to their limits of freshness and balance.

This Venda 2018 (still 6 years of evolution for $21) is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from 15-year-old vines, partially harvested in whole clusters for more freshness. 12 to 24 months of aging in neutral barrels will round everything out to offer you a surprising wine.

Even if it was probably not designed for cellaring at the time of bottling, the price-pleasure ratio is still there and will be even better with a slight decanting.

• To pair with: a beef burger grilled on the BBQ, juicy enough to coat an altitude Merlot,
• Fun fact: Being at the same latitude as Bordeaux, it seemed quite natural to replant Bordeaux varieties following the forced uprooting due to phylloxera in the 18th century, which wiped out the indigenous varieties of the region in the process...
• To better understand Veneto: Get on the waiting list for our workshop in the autumn,
• Travel back in time and through the appellation with the same producer who still offers us a few bottles of his Colli Euganei Rosso Riserva (60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet) from the 2017 vintage, $27 at the SAQ (10705071)