Unico Zelo Mallee Gambit Nero 2022

Clare Valley seemingly with Fiano and Nero is all about extremes. Hot weather, big diurnal temperature switches from day to night creating fruit yet retaining acid all at the same time. This vineyard was grafted over to Nero in 2017.

But as is so often with wine when you think you have nailed the ‘climate/terrrior should = said outcome’ it turns around and offers you something completely different. Where the Fiano from Clare is bordering on tropical in aromatics the Nero seems to soak up the sun and ask for more, retaining herbal and savoury notes, a tip of the hat to it’s origins in Sicily.

The nose explodes with pomegranate, strawberries, cherries and red apple along with herbal notes of shiso leaf and lemon myrtle. These carry to the palate along with more savoury notes of black olive, bask and tea delivering a balanced coplex expression of Nero.

Hand picked + wild fermented. The berries are destemmed very gently to keep as many whole berries as possible. All Nero’s spend 7 days on skins during fermentation then pressed off to barrel. Elevage in 2nd year fill oak puncheons and foudre.