It's funny how things become fashionable after one's success. Listening to Brad Hickey's story about how his first Zibibbo vintage a couple of years ago turned out and you can't help but have a laugh. He's weaved his magic each vintage since and has turned out another label filled with interest and textural appeal.
Brad wanted to produce a white wine in amphora, much the same as he has done with his now famous Nero d'Avola. Zibibbo wasn't trendy at the time, and although it was suitable for his purpose with time on skins, the grower couldn't find any buyers so it was offered to Brad for free. He drove to the Riverland and picked the fruit himself, returning to his McLaren Vale winery at 3am the next morning with a ute filled with buckets.
As a result of his success, suddenly Zibibbo became cool again with the same vineyard now experiencing high demand for the same fruit. Funny how things turn around...
The fruit was destemmed and immediately put into terracotta amphora where they sat for six months. No additions were made. It's the type of wine which spicy foods would lap up. I reckon you could take it to the water's edge and have it with salt and vinegar chips too.
Wonderfully textural from time on skins, candied peach and honeycomb aromas rise up from the glass. Dig deeper for apricot nectar, pepper and lashings of ginger too. Apples and lemony notes glide through the mouth urging another sip with that grip screaming for more. Great stuff!
Drink to three years.
92/100
Region: McLaren Vale
RRP: $39
Source: Sample
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