By John Rozentals.
Apprentice and master: Lillypilly Estate winemaker Robert Fiumara with daughter Gianna.
Lillypilly Estate winemaker Robert Fiumara’s daughter Gianna has wasted nore of her study time in making an impact on the Leeton family-owned business.
Gianna had taken leave from the University of Adelaide and was studying oenology and viticulture on an exchange program at University of California Davis when covid-19 began wreaking havoc around the world so she decided to leave the USA and head home to Australia, to Leeton, where she self-isolated for two weeks,
She brainstormed a few ideas and landed on an At Home Masterclass because it was a way to really reflect the experience customers have at the cellar door, while also providing the freedom of educating themselves about Lillypilly wine from the convenience of their own home.
The masterclass is a six-week program and contains: six bottles of Lillypilly wines, and tasting notes, information and suggested recipes, and is accompanied by online videos produced by Gianna.
Gianna continues the family’s passion for winemaking and she’s been able to incorporate both her passion and her skills with social media and video production to deliver this learning package.
Visit www.lillypilly.com.au.
WINE REVIEWS
Lillypilly Estate 2018 Red Velvet ($18): Like the winery’s Tramillon, this is a proprietory brand. It was designed by Bob in the mid-80s as a sweetish, aromatic red wine designed for early drinking as a chilled product. Don’t take it too seriously and it’s a delightful, refreshing drink well suited to Asian cuisine. In Robert’s own words: “This subtle, fruity wine, unique to Lillypilly, has a delicate aroma with a hint of musk. It is well balanced, versatile and refreshing, with a smooth silky finish.”
Fiumara Pink Velvet ($21): Once Red Velvet had been successfully pinned down, it was only a matter a time before bubbles were added. The result is a sweetish, but not all cloying, glass of refreshing fizz that can be enjoyed as an aperitif but will also sit well with lighter Asian-style dishes.
WINE OF THE WEEK
Lillypilly Estate 2018 Tramillon ($18): No one would been more surprised than Lilliypilly Estate’s winemaker Robert Fiumara when the Leeton-based family company won a gold medal and trophy with a blend of traminer and semillon at the 1983 Royal Sydney Wine Show. But Fiumara was well prepared and had registered Tramillon as a proprietory brand. The sweetish white blend has served the winery well. Try it with spicy Thai dishes.
NOTE: Potential travellers should check the status of individual events and establishments with regard to the coronavirus outbreak.
