Stella Bella Otro Vino Kazbar 2022

Otro Vino – “other wine” – nicely describes Stella Bella’s entry into the world of skin contact white wines. In this instance, it applies to a Sauvignon Blanc, cloudy in colour, exotic in nature. While skin-fermented “skinsy” white wines are super fashionable, it actually takes talent to produce something that isn’t prematurely aged and smelling, and tasting, of cider. That’s why this example from Stella Bella truly stands out. It is utterly delightful, fresh and vital, and is bound to get more and more drinkers on to the skin contact wine train. A subtle start with hints of the exotic in green tea scents, jalapeño, cut apple, lemon zest and a splash of dill and capsicum.

This is Sauvignon but not necessarily as many of us know it. Expect a mix of the herbal – snow pea, lemongrass – and the fruit-fuelled – gooseberry, lime, apple – and the soil. The latter brings with it a mineral-like kick that really freshens the wine. Finish is super clean and dry with green tea-like tannins making their presence known. Skin contact whites are noted for their red wine-like tannins from contact with grape skins. A pretty sleek example of the new wine trend on the block.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic