2024 Unico Zelo River Sand Fiano

Unico Zelo |Barmera, Riverland |Fiano
Organic Riverland Fiano from the Bassham vineyard: waxy, textural and fresh. The Unico Zelo team's own daily drinker.

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Sale price$35.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

The Riverland has become one of the best places in the country for Fiano (and easily the best value), and River Sand is one of the region's best bastions for quality. It's the wine Unico Zelo's own team reaches for day to day, and once you've tried it you'll see why.

Brendan and Laura Carter founded Unico Zelo in 2012 around Italian varieties that suit Australia's heat and dry, and single-vineyard Fiano is what first put them on the map. This one comes from the organic Bassham vineyard at Barmera on Ngawait Country, where the vines grow in iron-rich sand over limestone. The warmth up there gives the fruit plenty of generosity, yet it still lands at a light 12% alcohol.

The 2024 opens with frangipani, ripe pineapple, golden kiwi and a bit of apple. Then comes that signature almond kernel, a stone-fruit pip sort of thing, all wrapped in the waxy, honeyed texture River Sand is known for. Fresh acidity keeps it lively and very easy to come back to. Texture, drinkability and serious value - Riverland Fiano at its most fun.

Customer Reviews

Winemaker's Notes

There isn't much we love more than a glass of white wine in the sun, where all you are looking for is something bright, textural and refreshing - with or without food. For us it's River Sand. From the remarkable organic Bassham Vineyards in Barmera, the heat of the Riverland brings the fun to this wine - and this rendition is still in fine form.

We've always adored this wine's luscious, waxy texture - although that can be said about all our Fiano's, but River Sand has always been the shining light in that regard. Beautiful wine this year - Lovely frangipani nose with some juicy pineapple, golden kiwi, apple whiffs too. That lovely almond kernel signature is all over this wine again, a kind of apricot, nectarine pip thing, all wrapped in that honeyed, oily texture. Showing some nice acidity to make it all refreshing - you could drink this all day. So pleasant.

The Unico Team's Daily Drinker

Details

Variety: Fiano
Region: Barmera, Riverland
Soil Type: Iron-Rich Sand on Limestone
Alcohol: 12% ABV
Volume: 750ml
Traditional Owners: Ngawait Country

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Fiano
Country Australia
Region Barmera, Riverland
Australian State SA
Feature Vegan
Women in Wine
Alcohol 12%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Cork

Unico Zelo

Unico Zelo is the Adelaide Hills winery of Brendan and Laura Carter, one of the most dynamic duos in Australian wine. The name means 'unique zeal', and while it sounds Italian, the Carters are proudly Australian producers out to give Mediterranean grapes a true Australian identity.

They started the business in 2012. Brendan studied oenology and viticulture and made wine with S.C. Pannell, Jacob's Creek and G.D. Vajra. Laura came up through Henschke's lab and cellars after a trip around Italian wineries got her hooked on how food, culture and wine connect.

Grapes are picked to suit the climate - hardy, drought-tolerant varieties that need little water or chemical help - with fruit from the Clare Valley, Riverland and Adelaide Hills. It's all made with a light touch in a 1920s coldstore in Gumeracha, with texture front of mind.

In 2019 they became, by their account, the first Australian winery certified as a B Corp. Brendan was named the 2026 Wine Communicator of the Year for bringing a younger crowd to wine.

Playful, honest and made for drinking, these are wines for the people, and we love them for it.

Founders Brendan & Laura Carter Discover Unico Zelo

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Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $199 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

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No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

Most wine retailers list at a single-bottle price and then discount 10–15% when you buy six or twelve. We've taken the opposite approach. Since the overwhelming majority of our orders are already 6 bottles or more, our list price is set for the case buyer from the start. There's no inflated single-bottle price to discount down from.

What that means for you:

- One price, same for everyone — no minimum to hit to unlock the best rate
- No mixed-six gymnastics to qualify for a discount
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Put simply: the box discount is already baked into the price.

**And if you find it cheaper elsewhere?** Let us know. If the same wine is available at a lower price at another retailer (including at their mixed-six or by-the-dozen rate) we're happy to match it.

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