Wine to try
2008 First Drop Wines Bella Coppia Arneis, Adelaide Hills, A$26
For simple lunchtime fodder such as this, a basic sauvignon blanc would suffice, but with the ever-increasing interest in exotic varietals, why not take a step up-market? And arneis is an up-market drop. Firstly, it comes from that food-and-wine heaven Piedmont and secondly, it is one of the few newcomers that has that all-important quality – flavour. Arneis is subtle – with delicious, crisp nashi flavours, a pleasing silky texture and a gently persistent finish – driven by a zest of fresh grapefruity acid. The first plantings of arneis were on the Mornington Peninsula and its pioneer, Garry Crittenden, makes an excellent example. Chrismont, Dal Zotto and Pizzini in the King Valley are all producing first-rate interpretations, while the funky lads from First Drop Wines in the Adelaide Hills are nailing the variety perfectly.