Vignerons Schmolzer & Brown Fiano 2025

From the La Cantina vineyard which is in King Valley. An opportunity to play with fiano, again. A day of skin contact and time in old oak – proper winemaking application for the variety.

There’s a distinct savouriness to this wine, a bitter element, pleasingly so. Just-ripe pear, bitter herbs, tonic water, lemongrass piquancy, light gingery notes, a touch of green almond. This feels real right on, and that texture hasn’t been sidelined, and that flavour, at a just-so ripeness is retained. Well done. So good to see fiano given a long leash to make it interesting, complex and satisfying as a serious white wine. All in. Drink 2025-2028. 94 Points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.