Unico Zelo 'Esoterico' Amber Wine 2021

Especially in the hands of young, dynamic winemakers such as Brendan and Laura Carter of Unico Zelo, Italian grapes such as greco, fiano, and nebbiolo express the synergy of European tradition and Australian terroir. Unico Zelo’s style is fun, well-made, natural, eminently drinkable wines. Esoterico represents that style in an orange wine made from an interesting blend of white grapes: muscat gordo, moscato giallo, gewurtztraminer, and greco. Muscat gordo, also known as muscat of Alexandria, is generally associated with Sicilian winemaking, though it is hearty enough to thrive in a variety of locations. Along with gewurtzraminer, it displays particularly aromatic qualities that skin-contact fermentation can enhance to mouthwatering effect. With no additives aside from sulfur at bottling, and with no fining or filtration, this crowd-pleasing orange wine retains the texture and flavor of its constituent grapes as part of this unique combination. Funky and spicy on the palate, tangy orange tangerine and apricot fruit mingle with white pepper, allspice, and medicinal honey. Tart but not kombucha-like, this is moderately funky (on a scale of 1-James Brown, this is Bowie’s ‘Golden Years’!) Sustainably grown, low-intervention, vegan.