Hentley Farm Garganega, Barossa Valley 2021

Garganega is a variety with so much history from the Veneto in north-east Italy. It’s so exciting to see Australian winemakers give this variety a real crack. Typically garganega is vigorous and late ripening making it suitable to some warmer wine regions like the Barossa Valley.

Lemon pith, white almond notes shine through here and there is an ultra-fine, grainy texture – think fresh pears! Delicate but persistent with the trademark fresh acidity and backbone. It’s a tantalisingly spicy little number, pine needles, white pepper.  A wine with a seemingly neutral-like quality which is then unleashed with a wide variety of foods from your favourite BBQ seafood (scallops) to a juicy piece of Wagyu… definitely it is a surprise packet for the future and one to keep an eye on!

Matt Dunne

Wine critic and journalist at Joval Wine

Matt Dunne is one of Sydney’s finest sommeliers and communicators who is also the Group Wine Ambassador for the Joval Wine Group. He has created and managed wine lists for over 30 venues including ARIA Sydney, Opera Bar and Chiswick. In 2011 Matt won the Sydney Morning Herald’s 2011 ‘Good Food Guide Louis Roederer Sommelier of the Year’ and his team won the 2015 Wine List of the Year in the Good Food Guide for ARIA Sydney plus he was a Len Evans Scholar. Matt has tremendous knowledge of wine, beer and spirits, and has written his own wine blog for over 8 years.

International wine knowledge and tasting expertise