A guide to fiano (and the best wines to try)

One of the most exciting parts of drinking wine lies in its discovery. Since grapes are grown in so many beautiful places, wine can teach us about – or take us to – parts of the country or world that we’ve never seen before. The fact that wine pairs well with so many cuisines can open our eyes (and mouths) to dishes we may have never heard of, too. And with thousands of wine grapes grown all around the world, there’s always a new style to discover and the next one might just become a favourite.

This sense of discovery is one of the beautiful things about fiano. This white variety is technically ancient, but here in Australia, it’s still very new and not all that widely known. We love fiano, so we don’t mind letting you all in on the secret.

Fiano is an Italian grape that’s been used for winemaking since at least Roman times. Those grapes produce a white wine that usually has vibrant acidity, a relatively full texture and plenty of citrus flavours. You might sometimes see Italian fiano labelled as ‘Apianum’, which hints at its sometimes honey-like richness (‘apis’ is Latin for ‘bee’).

Despite our love of bright and zesty white wines (like sauvignon blanc and riesling) and whites with a bit of body and texture (chardonnay, especially), fiano has flown under the radar in Australia. It was first introduced in the 1970s by the CSIRO, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that McLaren Vale winery Coriole launched its fiano – among the first in the country.

Australian winemakers are really having fun with fiano now, though. One reason is that the grape thrives in the hot sun, retaining acidity in conditions that would normally destroy it (which often happens to grapes like chardonnay in hot climates). As winemakers contend with the increasing heat of climate change, they’re looking at temperature- and drought-tolerant grapes like fiano, which means we’re likely to see more and more of it in years to come.

Fiano’s flavours change depending on where it’s grown, which is one of the things we love about this Italian variety. In the hot sun, fiano can become full-bodied and velvety, with stone fruit, tropical notes and richer flavours like honey and nuts. In cooler climates, fiano is zesty and citrusy while being a little lighter bodied. In all cases, fiano retains its zippy acidity, which is very much a calling card.

Because fiano has such a great variety of flavours and textures, that’s your biggest decision when it comes to this variety – what style you want to drink. For those fuller fianos, look for warm-climate regions like McLaren Vale or Hunter Valley. For the light and bright versions, cooler spots like the Adelaide Hills will suit you just fine.

Fiano thrives in its homeland under the hot, Southern Italian sun. Regions like Campania, Sicily and Puglia, at the bottom of the boot, have the right climate for fiano to fully ripen while still retaining that signature acidity.

We already mentioned that homegrown fiano didn’t hit Australian shelves until the early 2000s, largely thanks to Coriole in McLaren Vale and Chalmers in Heathcote. Since then, fiano has spread across the country, filling an important place in climate-affected vineyards. Those warmer regions are still fiano’s best home away from home – places like Barossa, Hunter Valley, the Murray Darling and McLaren Vale. You’ll also find fiano in cooler zones, though, where it can be a little leaner – look to regions like the Adelaide Hills and King Valley.

Fiano’s biggest advantage over its other wine buddies is that natural acidity we keep harping on about. Wine with acidity is perfect for pairing with food because it refreshes the palate between bites, which is ideal when snacking on rich, fatty or salty foods. That acidity also makes fiano a friend of seafood and other light proteins, starches (like pasta and rice) and a whole lot more.

There’s no shortage of fiano food pairings, but here are a few to get you started:

• Seafood: Prawns, oysters, scallops, white fish, salmon – there’s barely a fish in the sea that the bright, citrusy fiano doesn’t love. We reckon garlicky barbecued prawns might be the best of all, though.
• Creamy pasta: Whether it’s light and bright or a richer style, fiano always has a great acidity, which is perfect with a creamy pasta. Dishes like cacio e pepe or carbonara (both of which get their creaminess from egg, rather than actual cream, FYI) would be ideal. Same deal for any rich risotto.
• Roast chicken: Chardonnay rules the roost when it comes to roast chook and wine pairings, but we think fiano is just as good. We’re particularly fond of those styles with stone fruit flavours (apricot chicken, anyone?) but, honestly, it’s hard to go wrong with fiano and chicken. Load up your roast with herbs and butter, and serve with a mountain of roast potatoes and a cold glass of fiano.
• Salty snacks: Some of the best pairings are the simplest and this is definitely true of fiano. The brightness of fiano helps cut through salty, fatty snacks like chips, salted nuts or cheese and crackers.