Sherrah Skin Party Fiano 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Complex Orange Wine

Sherrah Skin Party Fiano 2024 is a wild-fermented, skin-contact McLaren Vale Fiano with serious personality. It leans savoury and aromatic rather than fruity-sweet, with lemon pith, candied lime, jalapeño, soft herbs, pickled ginger, galangal and lemongrass. Dry, textural and gently grippy, this is a brilliant bottle for anyone who loves orange wine, natural whites or Fiano with a little more edge.

Highlights

• 93 points — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
• Crafted by Sherrah Wines — small-batch McLaren Vale producer led by Alex Sherrah
• Skin-contact Fiano made with whole berries
• Wild/native yeast fermentation
• Eight months in older barrels; no fining and no acid additions
• 12.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

This is not a soft, peachy Fiano; it is savoury, aromatic and deliberately skinsy. Expect lemon pith, candied lime, jalapeño, tomatillo, soft herbs, pickled sushi ginger, galangal, lemongrass and a subtle mustard-fruit note. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with lively acidity, gentle phenolic grip and complex white-wine tannins that give it a deliciously savoury finish.

Winemaking

Whole Fiano berries were fermented on skins using wild/native yeasts. The ferment took place in small open fermenters, with gentle handling and occasional stirring rather than heavy extraction. The wine was then pressed to older barrels for maturation on lees, building texture and savoury depth without obvious oak flavour. No fining or acid additions were used.

Vineyard & Vintage

The fruit comes from Seaview in McLaren Vale, a higher-altitude subregion known for giving Fiano freshness, structure and aromatic lift. Sherrah’s Skin Party style captures the grape’s naturally waxy texture and savoury citrus character, then pushes it further with whole-berry skin contact. The 2024 wine was picked on the earlier side, preserving acidity and sharpening those herbal, citrus-pith and green-spice notes.

Why We Love It

This wine is wonderfully different without being difficult. It has the grip and intrigue of orange wine, but the freshness and precision of good Fiano. The jalapeño, lime, ginger and herb notes make it especially exciting with food, while the 12.0% alcohol keeps it lively and refreshing rather than heavy.

Food Pairing

Sherrah Skin Party Fiano 2024 loves food with spice, salt, citrus, herbs and texture. It is excellent with seafood, prawns, sushi, Vietnamese salads, grilled vegetables, miso eggplant, halloumi, tacos and anything with ginger, lime or fresh herbs.

Try matching this wine with →

• Prawn tacos with lime, chilli and coriander — Find a Recipe
• Vietnamese chicken salad with herbs and ginger — Find a Recipe
• Miso eggplant with sesame and spring onion — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

For shared plates, spicy food and the friend who always wants to try something new. Chill it lightly, pour it with dinner and let the skinsy texture do its thing.

Cellaring

Drink now to 2028. This wine is most exciting while the citrus, herb, ginger and jalapeño notes are bright, but the skin-contact structure and barrel maturation give it enough substance to settle for a few years. Store cool and dark.

Producer

Sherrah Wines is a small-batch McLaren Vale producer led by Alex Sherrah. The range focuses on varieties that suit the region’s Mediterranean climate, including Fiano, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Nero d’Avola and Shiraz. Alex works with distinctive vineyard sites across McLaren Vale and uses thoughtful, hands-on winemaking to build texture and balance without heaviness. Skin Party Fiano shows the more experimental side of Sherrah: wild ferment, whole berries, skin contact, older barrels and a savoury, modern expression of McLaren Vale Fiano.

Related Wines To Try →

For other textural, skinsy and savoury whites, try these:

• Golden, floral skin-contact blend with red apple, citrus, peach and chalky tannin — Das Juice Maceration
• Organic skin-contact field blend with citrus peel, chamomile and savoury grip — Battle of Bosworth Dissident Skin Contact Field Blend
• Certified organic Fiano with citrus blossom, white peach, toasted almond and mineral length — Love Not War Organic Fiano

FAQ

What does Sherrah Skin Party Fiano 2024 taste like?

It tastes like lemon pith, candied lime, jalapeño, soft herbs, pickled ginger, galangal and lemongrass. The palate is dry and textural, with lively acidity and gentle white-wine tannins from skin contact. It is savoury, aromatic and more complex than a standard crisp white.

Is this wine sweet or dry?

This is a dry wine. The citrus, ginger and herbal notes bring plenty of flavour, but the finish is savoury rather than sweet. Its acidity and phenolic grip keep the palate clean and food-friendly.

Is Skin Party Fiano an orange wine?

Yes, this sits in the orange wine and skin-contact white category. Fiano is a white grape, but fermenting it on skins adds texture, grip, colour and savoury complexity. This is a great choice for drinkers who like orange wine with freshness rather than heaviness.

How should I serve Sherrah Skin Party Fiano?

Serve it lightly chilled at around 8–10°C. A standard white wine glass or universal glass works well, giving the aromatics room while keeping the texture neat. Avoid serving it icy cold, as the savoury detail and grip will be less expressive.

Should I decant this wine?

No full decant is needed. Open it 10 minutes before serving and let it breathe in the glass. A little natural haze or sediment is normal for this kind of unfined, skin-contact wine.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

This wine contains sulphites. It is not a no-added-preservative wine. For wines made without added preservative sulphites, explore our No Added Preservative wine range.

Is Sherrah Skin Party Fiano vegan friendly?

Yes, this wine is vegan suitable. It is made with no fining, so animal-derived fining agents are not used. The texture comes from skin contact, wild fermentation and time in older barrels.

What food pairs best with this Fiano?

It is excellent with prawns, oysters, sushi, Vietnamese salads, tacos, grilled vegetables, miso eggplant and halloumi. The citrus and herbal notes work beautifully with lime, chilli, ginger and coriander. For a vegetarian match, try miso eggplant or grilled zucchini with lemon and herbs.

Who will love this wine?

It will suit drinkers who enjoy savoury whites, natural wines, orange wines and textural varieties like Fiano, Vermentino and skin-contact Sauvignon Blanc. If you like crisp white wine but want more grip and intrigue, this is a great next step. It is also a smart bottle for people who usually reach for food-friendly dry rosé.

Is this wine keto friendly?

Yes, this is a dry wine and a better fit for keto-conscious drinkers than sweet, off-dry or dessert wines. The flavour is vivid and aromatic, but the finish is dry and savoury. Suitability still depends on your own dietary goals and serving size.

(SKU: SH_SPF_CV)