Freeman Corvina and Rondinella ‘Rosso’ 2023

Freeman Vineyards is a boutique family-owned winery in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, renowned for its Italian-inspired wines and pioneering spirit. Founded in 1999 by Dr. Brian Freeman, a former head of wine science at Charles Sturt University.Brian transitioned from academia to winemaking, bringing deep viticultural expertise to the Hilltops region. Situated in Prunevale, Hilltops, at 560 metres above sea level, the vineyard benefits from cool nights and sunny days during ripening, deep granite soils mixed with red silt, sand from central Australia and well-drained terrain, ideal for growing high-quality grapes.

Freeman Vineyards is Australia’s only producer of the northern Italian grape varieties Rondinella and Corvina, used in their flagship Secco. Other Italian varietals include Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Aleatico, Prosecco, Fiano, Pinot Grigio, and an obscure varietal for Australia, Furmint. Their priority is well crafted wines with a focus on textural complexity, balance, and food-friendliness.

The Rosso Corvina Rondinella 2023 is a blend of the two northern Italian origin varieties classically used to make two popular red wines – Bardolino (Lake Garda) and Valpolicella (Verona). Unlike the flagship Secco that relies on the addition of dried grapes to the fermentation, this savoury red blend is crafted solely from freshly harvested Corvina and Rondinella. After pressing, the individual varietal parcels are fermented in stainless steel and aged for 12 months in old oak barrels before blending to create a plush easy sipping ‘drink now’ style. Rosso 2023is a blend of the two northern Italian origin varieties classically used to make two popular red wines – Bardolino (Lake Garda) and Valpolicella (Verona).

Unlike the flagship Secco that relies on the addition of dried grapes to the fermentation, this savoury red blend is crafted solely from freshly harvested Corvina and Rondinella. After pressing, the individual varietal parcels are fermented in stainless steel and aged briefly in old oak barrels before blending to create a plush easy sipping ‘drink now’ style.

WBM MAGAZINE

Freeman Rosso 2023 – 93 / 100 Points

A Unique wine – an almost unique blend in Australia – and has a currency in this release for its Italianate credentials. Ripe but just-so redberry fruitiness, sage leaf and bay leaf herbal inflections, pepper, hazelnut savouriness, some sweet earthiness in tow. Quite slurpy and soft though it backs up from mid-palate with a building chew of al dente tannins. Charismatic and distinct..

– Mike Bennie