2024 Coriole Reserve Rubato Fiano, McLaren Vale

A deeply fruited and textural iteration this year, while also possessing considerable verve and effortlessness. Golden delicious, nashi pear, fresh fennel seeds and fronds, green almond, lime pith, mandarin oil and a green cardamom/fenugreek leaf spice note. It’s saline and lightly chewy, working in neat concert with the fruit intensity that swells on the mid-palate, keen acidity joining the fray to close out, the flavours lingering indelibly. It’s also a wine that builds with interest over a couple of days and as the temperature climbs. It’s a beacon for the variety’s elevated potential here. Absolutely top drawer.

97 points Special Value Marcus Ellis winecompanion.com.au

Coriole Reserve Rubato Fiano is one of McLaren Vale’s most exciting expressions of a white variety that Coriole first introduced to Australia back in 2001. The Lloyd family, known for their pioneering streak, planted Fiano at a time when few Australians had heard of it, and today their work has set the benchmark for the variety in the country. Rubato, meaning “free style” in Italian, is their reserve bottling – a richer, more textural and complex interpretation that shows just how serious Fiano can be.

In the glass it gleams pale gold with green highlights. The nose is aromatic and layered, offering notes of preserved lemon, fresh pear, honeysuckle, and white nectarine, with hints of almond meal, wild herbs, and a flinty mineral edge. The palate is powerful yet balanced, with generous stone fruit and citrus oil flavours wrapped in a savoury, nutty texture. Lees ageing adds depth and creaminess, while the trademark Fiano acidity drives through to a long, saline finish. It is a wine that manages to be both luscious and precise, making it one of the standout white wines of McLaren Vale.

Food pairings celebrate its Italian heritage and textural style. Think linguine vongole with garlic and chilli, grilled swordfish with lemon and herbs, roast chicken with preserved lemon and fennel, or pecorino with truffle honey. The structure and acidity ensure it works beautifully with rich seafood and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Cellar potential is excellent for an Australian white, with 8 to 10 years allowing it to develop honeyed and nutty complexity while retaining freshness.

As the reserve expression, Rubato is produced in small quantities and is highly allocated, often available only through Coriole’s cellar door and select merchants. It has earned critical acclaim as one of the country’s finest Fianos and is frequently highlighted by critics as a wine that rivals top examples from southern Italy. It represents not only rarity but also remarkable value for its calibre, standing as proof of how well Mediterranean varieties can thrive in McLaren Vale’s climate and soils.