Good Pair Days - Sherrah 'Skin Party' Fiano 2019

There aren't many wine regions on the planet which can compare to our own McLaren Vale. It's one of those places where everything seems to slot together beautifully; the climate, the range of soil types, the grapes that flourish there... and perhaps most importantly of all, the winemakers who have made the Vale their home. One such talent is Alex Sherrah, a man who comes with a hefty pedigree and whose vision and skill is pretty much unrivalled in the region. Once a winemaker's assistant at the highly-renowned Tatachilla winery in McLaren Vale, Alex went on to hone his craft and widen his palate in Napa Valley, before heading to the hills of Austria and the historic wineries of Burgundy in France.

Now that he's given up his day job as senior winemaker at McLaren's Coriole winery, Alex Sherrah has been putting all of his energy and vision into Sherrah - a newish winery based just a couple of miles away from where his viticultural journey began, run with some like-minded friends who bring even more scope and range to the table. The winery is all about allowing the winemakers to start thinking outside the box, and to begin putting their focus into exploring lesser-used grape varietals (alongside several tried-and-tested Aussie favourites) and making the kinds of wines they love to drink.

A departure from the lean, sharp Fianos that Alex Sherrah has crafted in the past, this wine fills the senses with more roundness and power. Still clean, crisp and dry but much more textural than the standard Fiano. A great example of careful skin contact displaying mandarin, lemon pith and a beautifully bitter edge.