The Alessandro & Aperitivo Experience: Why This Isn't Just Another Wine Tasting
Discover where six exceptional wines meet thoughtfully paired bites in the Hunter Valley's most intimate tasting experience
Look, we get it. You've probably done the Hunter Valley cellar door circuit. You know the drill - stand at a crowded bar, taste five wines in ten minutes, buy a bottle you'll forget about, move on to the next place.
But what if we told you there's something completely different happening right here in Pokolbin?
Something that actually makes you want to slow down, put your phone away, and remember why you fell in love with wine in the first place?
🍷 It Started with a Family Story
The Alessandro & Aperitivo Experience isn't just about wine - it's about honouring a way of life that's been passed down through three generations of the Laureti family.
Back in the 1950s, Alessandro Laureti left his winemaking life in Italy and migrated to Australia with his wife Maria. The Alessandro Reserve Collection recognises a man for his principles in keeping life simple. Alessandro believed in working hard and coming together as a family to show gratitude for the simple things in life.
"Growing up, there was never a meal without a glass of wine. It became the Laureti way of life."
- Frank Laureti, Alessandro's son and current owner of Saddler's Creek
Today, that tradition continues. Every Sunday, 94-year-old Nonna Maria still brings the family together for lunch - the same woman who made that journey from Italy decades ago.
🍇 Why These Wines Are Different
The Alessandro Reserve collection isn't your standard cellar door offering. These are our best wines sourced from premium regions across Australia - wines that are crafted with minimal intervention and aged in the finest oak for finesse and longevity.
✨ The Experience That Changes Everything
Here's what makes Alessandro & Aperitivo different: it's designed around the European aperitivo tradition, where wine and food aren't rushed but savoured. Where conversation flows and the wine is savoured.
Six exceptional Alessandro Reserve wines meet six thoughtfully chosen bites - not because we're trying to be fancy, but because wine simply tastes better with food.
Your Complete Tasting Journey
2022 Alessandro Semillon with lemon & chive goat's cheese on crostini
2019 Alessandro Semillon with prawn & citrus butter on rye
2023 Alessandro Chardonnay with roast chicken tarragon rillette
2022 Alessandro 'Aurelia' Shiraz with charred lamb kofta
2022 Alessandro Merlot with mushroom & thyme arancini
2020 Alessandro Cabernet Sauvignon with rare roast beef & horseradish
🎯 What You'll Actually Experience
It's a guided experience where you can ask questions, have real conversations, and actually taste the differences between wines without someone rushing you along.
Real understanding. By the end, you'll know not just what you like, but why you like it - and how to recreate these experiences at home.
🏡 The Simple Truth
Alessandro understood something that our busy world often forgets: life's greatest pleasures come from the simplest moments. Time spent with people you care about, sharing food and wine that's been crafted with love and patience.
Alessandro & Aperitivo captures that same spirit. It's not just a wine tasting - it's an invitation to experience what Sunday lunch feels like in the Laureti household, where good food and great wine bring people together for genuine conversation and connection.
📅 Book Your Experience
Daily Sessions: 11.30am & 1.30pm
Investment: $55 per person | $40 for Club Equus members
Duration: 1 hour of pure discovery