2021 Pizzini L’Aquila Nebbiolo, King Valley

Pizzini L’Aquila Nebbiolo from the King Valley is a powerful and sophisticated take on this noble Italian variety, grown in the cool, alpine-influenced hills of Victoria’s High Country. The Pizzini family has long been at the forefront of Italian varietals in Australia, and L’Aquila—named after the Italian city in Abruzzo—stands as a flagship expression of their commitment to Nebbiolo’s complexity, structure, and age-worthiness.

The fruit for L’Aquila comes from carefully managed vineyard sites planted on well-drained, gravelly soils at elevation. These sites allow Nebbiolo to ripen slowly and evenly, crucial for developing the variety’s intricate tannin profile and aromatic lift. The King Valley’s wide diurnal range helps preserve acidity and aromatic purity, while the long growing season ensures full flavour development.

Winemaking is traditional with a modern polish. The grapes are handpicked, fermented in open-top fermenters with gentle cap management, and aged in a mix of large format and older French oak barrels. The result is a wine that respects Nebbiolo’s heritage while delivering clarity and freshness unique to the King Valley.

In the glass, L’Aquila Nebbiolo is aromatic and tightly structured, with notes of sour cherry, rose petal, dried herbs, anise, and subtle leather. The palate is savoury and long with firm tannins, bright acidity, and a mineral edge that gives the wine lift and longevity. This is a wine built to evolve gracefully over ten years or more.

Perfect with osso buco, truffle risotto, or aged Pecorino, Pizzini L’Aquila is one of Australia’s finest expressions of Nebbiolo, offering both regional character and varietal authenticity.