Born and raised in Italy, Giulia Giorgetti owned a couple of restaurants before moving to Australia nine years ago to experience hospitality from a different perspective. Since then, she’s worked with Any Day Group in Brisbane and Trader House in Melbourne. Along the way, she’s devoted a generous amount of time to studying wine, both formally and informally, and it’s become a true passion.
Giorgetti eventually left Marion to open Suze with Steve Harry, formerly her partner in life, now her business partner. She says that while it sounds like the start of a disaster story, it’s somehow working beautifully. So much so, in fact, that the pair are opening a second venue in Northcote this September.
When it comes to wine, Giorgetti is always drawn to bottles that speak clearly of where they come from. She loves wines that taste of place more than the winemaking. The same philosophy applies to cocktails and food: simple, thoughtful and never overcomplicated. Hospitality has shaped who Giorgetti is. Her favourite days are still the ones spent around a busy table, sharing good food, great wine and interesting conversations.
Here’s Giorgetti with what’s great in the glass right now.
As far as I’m concerned, the defining place to get a drink in Victoria is… It’s impossible to pick just one. Working in the hospitality industry means I’m out eating and drinking more than I should. I love what they are doing at Hands Down, Above Board, Caretaker’s Cottage, Apollo Inn, LB’s Record Bar. They are my favourite bars. Carlton Wine Room for blind tasting with the team. Gerald’s Bar, Bar Olo and Bar Carnation for a knock-off after work. Embla every time I’m in the city. Grana when I feel like something cosy – great vibes, perfect execution, always delivering.
The last three delicious Victorian things I drank were
- All of the vermouths from Saison. I can’t get enough.
- Ocean Gin from Autonomy Distillers. My go-to for a salty Martini at the moment.
- Mammoth ‘Lugard’ Chardonnay. Low intervention, but great finesse.
The Victorian wine I’m loving most right now is… I’m still thinking about the Blanc de Noir 1994 from Yarra Yering I drank last summer. It was unbelievable. In general, though, I also love Maison Lapalus, Entropy, Mise en Place Wines, Defialy, Crittenden.
And I recently tasted the ECK Wines from Emily Kinsman at the Drink Victorian tasting, which were all truly amazing.
The Victorian wine that diners at Suze are ordering most is… It always depends. At this time of year, with winter in full swing, we’re definitely seeing guests going for red wines more often, such as gamay, sangiovese, pinot noir, syrah and nebbiolo. Some of the most popular producers would be Honky Chateau, Payten & Jones, By Farr, Rare Hare, Patrick Sullivan. That said, Athletes of Wine sparkling rosé and Entropy’s riesling continue to be bestsellers.
When someone hands me a drinks list, I usually head straight for the aperitivo section. I love vermouth-forward drinks, Spritzes and classic Highballs. Something simple, preferably with a local twist. An Americano featuring a Victorian vermouth, for example, would be exactly what I’d go for.
There’s no better value on a wine list or in a bottle shop in Victoria than smaller producers and lesser-known appellations. I rarely go for the big names.
My favourite place to buy booze is restaurants and bars that offer retail prices, like Marion in Fitzroy, Grana in Brunswick East and Cardwell Cellars in Richmond. It’s always the safest option to find something delicious when you trust who sells them. I often go there to stay as well.
I’d love to see people planting more chenin blanc here. With the climate and such a variety of soil types in Victoria, chenin definitely has big unrealised potential. And of course, let’s keep pushing the nebbiolo production. I’m Italian after all.
My guilty pleasure in the fridge and at the bar is… It completely depends on the season and the mood. But if I had to choose two things I couldn’t live without, they would probably be Champagne and Campari. I’ll never get tired of them.
The best or most important change to the way people drink in Victoria in recent years has been a shift towards quality over quantity. People have become more conscious of how much they drink, and they’re increasingly happy to choose a low- or no-alcohol option when it suits the occasion.
As a result, they’re drinking less, but also drinking better, placing greater value on craftsmanship and provenance. At the same time, they’ve become more curious and open to discovering new producers, styles and flavours.
For me, the most inspiring person in the Victorian drinks world is Leanne Altmann. I’ve always believed that Trader House has a driving role in shaping the past, present and future generations of hospitality professionals in this city. As Head of Beverage for the group, Leanne led the development of a large number of sommeliers across Melbourne, in terms of knowledge, perspective and method. It’s a big responsibility that shows expertise, leadership, resilience and confidence. I was fortunate enough to benefit from her mentorship, both directly and indirectly, and even more fortunate to now call her a friend.
Suze, 6 Newry St, Fitzroy North, open 5pm-11pm Wed-Fri, 12pm-11pm Sat, 12 noon-5pm, Sun suzefitzroy.com, @suze_fitzroy