By mid 2022 I reckon Fiano is still miles ahead. It is proving its maintaining its dominance in South Australia and proving its worth in many other temperate, warm and hot regions throughout the country.
Were does Fiano Grow in Australia?
Size of the font in the image below indicates relative number of wineries using Fiano.
Fiano in Italy
Fiano is a strongly flavoured white grape variety which is used to make the highly regarded Fiano di Avellino in Campania in Southern Italy. Avellino is a wine region in the hills inland from Naples.
Fiano is also grown in other southern Italian regions such as Basilicata and the Salentine Peninsula in Puglia.
Your first lesson about Fiano from Jancis Robinson
Here's what the Unknown WInecaster says about Fiano
There is a small but steadily growing number of producers of Fiano in Australia. This is likely to continue over the next few years as more and more grape growers and wineries react to the problems of climate change by using Southern Italian grape varieties.
The time of vintage has been much earlier than usual in many recent years. Later maturing varieites are more suited to warmer areas as the grapes are able to ripen with a better balance of sugar, acid and flavouring compounds in cooler times.
It seems that South Australian winemakers are especially keen on the variety, taking the lead from Coriole who pioneered the Fiano in Australia.
Fiano has had its own class at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) since 2009.
Nutty, herbal, aromatic, with smoky spicy notes and hazelnuts
In her latest book Vine Grapes Jancis Robinson describes the variety as
Rich waxy, strongly flavoured fashionable...
Fiano and Food
These crisp dry white wines can be paired with a range of foods. Try them with seafood, pasta dishes or other Italian style cuisine.
Try Fiano with pan fried King George whiting and chips.
Brian St Pierre in this book suggests that Fiano is one white wine variety that goes well with dishes normally associated with red wines such as stuffed eggplant, or rolled veal birds.
Friulano from NE Italy is used by just a few Aussie winemakers
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