2023 Soldiers’ Land Zibibbo Passito
101 Years of Family & Cultivation
In their prime, drying racks for dehydrating sultana grapes could be found throughout the Riverland. The Jury Road drying rack, which had been abandoned for 35 years, was restored and used to create our Zibibbo Passito. (Sun dried for 45 days), creating a semi-sweet, aromatic flavoured wine.
While Passito style wines are traditionally consumed with dessert, this zesty, flavoursome and fun wine can be enjoyed without a prescribed occasion. Match with seafood on the beach or a tumbler filled with ice on a warm summer’s day, it is one that will impress.
375ml
"Made from zibibbo (muscat) grapes grown on 60-year-old vines. The grapes were hand-harvested and laid out on old, restored sultana drying racks next to the vineyard; the fruit was then left to shrivel in the sun for a month and a half before being crushed and fermented. The result is a beautiful sweet white wine: quite luscious, perfumed, grape-pulpy flavours, full of sunlight and freshness."
Max Allen - Drinks Columnist - The Financial Review
The Story
Grown on 60 year-old Zibibbo vines, the grapes were harvested in late April and dried on a 50 year-old drying racks (located only five metres from the vines) for 45 days. The drying/Passito process is employed to concentrate the flavour of the grapes, which produced an elegant and complex wine.
On returning home from both World Wars, soldiers were offered small plots of land to farm by the Australian government. Known as the Soldiers Settlement Scheme, this was the chance to make a new start and leave the turmoil of battle in the past.
This wine has two purposes. The first is to acknowledge & hopefully preserve the remaining old vineyards located in the Riverland (planted by returning soldiers but unfortunately many have been removed for economic reasons). The second purpose is to provide ongoing funding to the Returned & Services League (RSL). Today marks the birth of a partnership between Ricca Terra & RSL.
Your purchase of this wine will help both causes.
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