Unico Zelo Fresh AF Nero D'Avola 2023 Front Bottle Shot
Unico Zelo Fresh AF Nero D'Avola 2023 Front Bottle Shot Unico Zelo Fresh AF Nero D'Avola 2023 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

If anywhere in the world could make the freshest, zippiest style of Red - you'd expect it to be in the middle of the desert. Hailing from some of the most ancient soils on earth - The Riverland, is a complete underdog region that epitomizes what it is to craft fine wine on the edge. Rich red earth, sandy soils covering limestone. Challenging, avant-garde - and one of the most exciting wines Unico Zelo has crafted to date. They're intensely passionate about Nero d'Avola and it's clear potential in the warm, sun-drenched spots of Australia. The insane water-efficiency of this variety coupled with no additions in the vineyard or winery (save for a small component of SO2 at bottling) displays the potential for this variety to craft succulent, juicy, aromatic and supremely refreshing wine. A touch of ancient vine Zibibbo lifts the aroma into supreme smashability.

Professional Ratings

  • 93

    One of the most crowd-pleasing bargains in Aussie wine, this blend of Nero d’Avola and Zibibbo (aka the white variety Muscat of Alexandria) offers a heady combo of green peppercorn, violets with stems, olive tapenade and rock dust, all framing a forest-berry compote. As the name so eloquently implies, it is indeed “fresh A.F.” It’s also a supple, midweight bottling with oodles of fruit and crunchy acidity.

Unico Zelo

Unico Zelo

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Boldly opulent and robust, Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s most widely planted red grape. Nero d’Avola performs well both as a single varietal bottling and in blends. It loves hot, arid climates and Sicily's old vines are aptly head-trained close to the ground, making them resistant to strong winds. A few pioneering producers in California as well as Australia farm Nero d’Avola in the same way. Somm Secret—Nero d’Avola's other name, Calabrese, suggests origins from the mainland region of Calabria.

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South Australia is the historic heart of Australian wine, a great wine capital of the world, and home to some of the most famous regions. It produces more than 80% of Australia’s premium wine from some of the oldest vines in the world. There is an abundance of varieties and wide spectrum of styles to explore. From the rogue to refined, discover Australian wines that are far from ordinary.

GEC820390_2023 Item# 1721333