2024 Pizzini La Volpe Nebbiolo, King Valley

Pizzini La Volpe Nebbiolo from the King Valley is a beautifully fragrant, finely structured and impressively authentic Australian take on the great Piedmontese variety, crafted by one of the country’s most trusted Italian-heritage families. The Pizzinis have worked with Nebbiolo longer than almost anyone in Australia, carefully mapping the valley’s pockets of decomposed granite, clay loams and cool, high altitude slopes to find the sites where the grape can ripen fully while retaining its trademark perfume and tannin. La Volpe, meaning “the fox”, reflects the wine’s sly elegance: light in colour, deceptively delicate at first glance, but full of cunning depth and quietly powerful structure.

Hand picking, gentle destemming and a long, slow ferment allow the perfumed top notes of the grape to stay vibrant while drawing out the fine, filigreed tannins Nebbiolo is famous for. Maturation in large older barrels and neutral oak keeps the wine transparent, savoury and expressive rather than oaky. The Pizzini touch is all about poise and honesty, letting the grape speak with clarity.

The nose is lifted and complex, showing rose petal, red cherry, raspberry and cranberry intertwined with orange peel, anise, dried herbs, rooibos tea and a faint earthy sweetness. With air, subtle notes of truffle, sandalwood and dried flowers join the mix, giving the wine a lovely Piedmont style nuance while still feeling unmistakably King Valley.

The palate is refined, bright and beautifully detailed. Red fruits glide across fine, chalky tannins, guided by vibrant acidity that keeps everything fresh and mouthwatering. Flavours of sour cherry, pomegranate, alpine herbs, blood orange and light spice build in graceful layers. The tannins are firm but elegant, framing the fruit without dominating it. The finish is long, savoury and delicately floral, promising five to eight years of rewarding evolution.

La Volpe is superb with mushroom risotto, truffle pasta, braised duck legs, porchetta, grilled eggplant, pecorino, salumi boards or tomato driven Italian classics.