Vino Intrepido is the brainchild of winemaker James Scarcebrook, who developed a love for Italian wines during a trip to the region, which then became a passion to produce his own wines from Italian varieties, here in Australia. Perusing his offerings makes this abundantly clear, as you’ll see names such as prosecco, fiano, lambrusco, vermentino, nero d’avola, and sangiovese. James sent me two bottles, which I was very keen to open.
2020 Vino Intrepido ‘Sting like a Bee’ Fiano
If you’ve never had fiano before, Sting Like a Bee is a good place to start. The grape is renowned for producing wines with honey, nutty and floral notes, and that’s exactly what you get here, as well as some citrus, blossom, and savoury characters. Due to the malolactic fermentation and oak ageing, there’s a pronounced creaminess and nice palate weight as well. I particularly recommend pairing it with some hard cheese, and don’t worry about chilling it – just crack it open.
2020 Vino Intrepido ‘Blood of My Blood’ Sangiovese
While I liked the fiano, it was the sangiovese that really made me take notice. Right after opening the bottle, you’re hit with incredibly ripe fruit and a range of aromas, such as black cherry, raspberry, plum, cinnamon, milk chocolate and cola, most of which are repeated on the palate. One of the main joys of drinking it comes from seeing the change in texture, as it goes from being a bit rough at the start to silky and delicious. So give it some time to open up and reap the many rewards.
