It’s a summer Fiano Festa! Wineries, here’s how to get involved!
If you’re a lover of Australian Fiano and want to know more, we have you covered, too, just head this way
In the 2025 vintage, there were 3.72 million reasons (vintage crush value) to get behind Fiano and highlight the versatility of this incredible varietal over summer. Based on projections, the popularity is just going to keep growing, and now there’s an opportunity to tell the story to consumers together.
Here at Oliver’s Taranga, we’ve been growing Fiano since 2004, following our friends at Chalmers who brought this Italian varietal into Australia. It’s now one of our most sought-after wines and our winemaker Corrina Wright (affectionately known as the Queen of Fiano) continues to advocate for the variety in her role as President of the Alternative Varietals Wine Show
Of course, as with all ‘emerging’ grape varieties, we have some work to do in introducing the broader wine consumer to Fiano and helping them understand the versatility of the style. So, this year we’re launching Fiano Festa – a summer-long celebration of this exceptionally delicious variety that’s perfect for the Australian spring & summer.
Things we know
We know that things are tough in the wine industry at present. No one is immune to the challenges. However, we all need a good news story to rally behind and whilst off a small base, Fiano is in growth and the style of wine that consumers are looking to drink.
- Fiano is increasing in popularity – its total crush value has increased by 56% (V25 v V24) to $3.72M. Australia now has the most plantings of Fiano outside Italy!
- Fiano has seen 86% growth in tonnes crushed (2025 vs 2024)
- Vine Health Australia Vineyard Registration data (SA Vineyards Aug 2025) noted a 318% increase in Fiano plantings over the last decade.
- There are now over 70 Australian wineries making Fiano
- Plantings of emerging white varieties like Fiano have doubled in the last decade
- The Alternative Varietals Wine Show sees 50-55 different Fiano producers entering to make one of the biggest classes of varietals (after Vermentino & Tempranillo) at the Show.
It’s the style of wine consumers are looking for!
- Flavourful & vibrant white wines are winning consumer interest.[1]
- People are still drinking! 81% of Gen Z and 84% of Millennial consumers report drinking occasionally or regularly. [2]
- Occasions where wine (especially Fiano!) has a natural fit are showing no decline in number of drinks consumed per occasion; relaxed/quiet drinks (3.2), special occasions (3.0), formal (2.9) & casual meals (2.3)[3]
- 64% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers drink at home with family & friends and 1 in 2 consumers buy from a bottle shop to take to a family member or friend’s house.[4]
- Gen Z’s socialising trends include more low-key, but curated experiences; ‘drink with more taste and intention’ (Sip Happens, 2025)
- Variety-focused days (i.e. Shiraz Day) deliver real commercial success for wineries when leveraged effectively
- Fiano can deliver on today’s wine consumer needs – but we need to tell them about it and make it part of their drinking repertoire!
[1] Wine Australia & Endeavour State of the Grapes 2025
[2] Time Out Australia Sip Happens Report 2025
[3] NIQ’s OPUS Australia Survey
[4] Time Out Australia Sip Happens Report 2025
What is Fiano Festa & how do I get involved?
Fiano Festa has two main components, both of which are easy to tap into (perfect for everyone with a million things on their to-do list). A chance to train up your sales teams, host some events in cellar door or with your trade partners and fill up your social media calendars with some relevant consumer-based content.
1) Fiano Fridays
An opportunity to consistently talk about Fiano on a Friday! You can do this in many ways over summer:
- Talk about Fiano on social media – your wine, the style, the versatility. Don’t restrict the story to your own wine, there’s so many great examples that you can use to explain the story
- Reiterate the versatility of the grape and flavour components – give consumers a context that they can relate to – summer days, great food, Mediterranean vibe – we make a Fiano for that!
- List Fiano on wine lists and make it the special on a Friday
- If you’re a venue, consider pouring by the glass
- Send out an email on a Friday to your database or engage with the trade and distributors
Remember that consumers need multiple touch points to absorb messaging, so consistency of storytelling over summer will be key to gain traction and help educate wine lovers about the style. Keep it simple and contextualise the flavours into something that consumers can relate to – the origins in the Mediterranean can have much appeal!
It does not always need to be your Fiano in the conversation – Cupitt’s Estate did a great job last summer talking about the Australian wineries making this style and promoting the wines others were making each Friday.
2) Inaugural Fiano Day – Friday 17 October 2025
Mark your calendar for Friday October 17, 2025 for the inaugural Fiano Day! We’ve seen that varietal days drive strong commercial outcomes when leveraged properly, so now’s the time to start planning. Fiano Day will appear annually on the 3rd Friday of October.
This is the day to shout your love for Fiano from the rooftops! Post on social media, share a Fiano-matched recipe (it’s also Pasta Day – coincidence, I think not!), email your database with a single-day offer, do a Fiano-focused tasting in Cellar Door. Our Fiano Day partners, Mastermind Consulting, have created some graphics to make things even easier, you can access the Fiano Festa toolkit here
Remember to add #fianofesta and tag @mastermindconsulting to your posts for additional amplification!
Key messages to convey
- Originally from the Campania region of Italy, Fiano has found its home in Australia
- Refreshing, delicious white wine – a great match with food
- The wine style can be versatile depending on the touch of the winemaker – ranging from crisp and mineral driven to more textural and oak driven.
- It’s the perfect style of wine to pair with food.
- Fiano shares characteristics with unoaked Chardonnay, with beautiful fruit sweetness, displaying similar medium acidity alongside notes of tropical fruits and lemon. Its distinctive waxy mouthfeel echoes that of Semillon, while certain Pinot Grigio expressions mirror Fiano’s honeyed pear characteristics.
- It’s so adaptable – something we’ll see much more of in future with 80+ producers of producers in Australia playing with the variety, it’s a grape that very much positions wineries for the styles being adopted in future.
- A variety that’s future focused and good for the environment – Fiano tends to have low water use, high natural acidity, thick skins, so lower risk of disease.