Wine to try
2006 Pizzini Arneis, King Valley, A$26
Almost any non-aromatic white would work with this seafood soup, as could a decent dry rosé, perhaps a more traditional partner to this Mediterranean speciality. Arneis, one of the best new white varieties to hit our shores, offers all the necessary requirements to match the assorted assembly of flavours. It’s clean, fresh and bright, with flavours of nashi pear, granny smith apple and a faint herbal note, perhaps a touch of fresh dill. Gary Crittenden introduced the variety to the Mornington Peninsula in the mid-1990s, though it has more recently found a comfortable home in the King Valley. In its Piedmontese homeland, arneis is undergoing a revival, where it’s labelled under its varietal name. Several excellent examples are available locally – look for Vietti, Michele Chiarlo or Fontanafredda.