Johnny, Vince & Sam have released their very own wine label and, jokes aside, it’s molto bloody bene.
The gents behind Sooshi Mango are funny. Like, really funny. I’ve only just met brothers Joe and Carlo Salanitri and best friend Andrew Manfre, but we’re already laughing like old mates. Names like mine are natural fodder for Sooshi Mango, and they waste no time pouncing upon it (their first viral skit was called Greeks vs. Italians, after all). It’s all in good fun, and while slipping punchlines may be par for the course with this mob, it’s their new wine venture that we’re here to discuss.
That’s right. Australia’s favourite ethnic dads have swapped skits for sangiovese and moscato under their brand new wine label – Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Vino. “Italians are known for three things: salami, sauce and wine,” says Carlo (his brother adds pizza, pasta, cars and fashion to the list), so what better way to honour that pedigree than with a wine of their very own?
Far from another celebrity co-sign, this project is something of a spiritual endeavour for the trio. “These characters (Johnny, Vince and Sam) hold a very special place in our hearts,” says Andrew. “They’re unfiltered. They’re authentic.” Naturally, the wine needed to be, too, so the tip of the hat goes well beyond the sticky-tape emblazoned labels. “We were heavily involved in the process,” says Andrew. “Our brand is all about simplicity and being clowns – but whatever we do, we want to do it right.”
Those who have had a chuckle (or a gut-busting bellow, for that matter) at Sooshi Mango’s comedy would recognise nostalgia and authenticity are their secret ingredients. The same applies to their wine. “It’s gonna sound a bit corny,” says Joe, “but for me, that bottle of wine in the middle of the table represents family.” So it only makes sense that Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Vino was born to pay tribute to the old-school garage wines of their elders. “One of my fondest memories growing up was my uncles all bringing their batches over to compare. There was a competitive nature to it. Who has the best wine? How long did it take them to make it? But at the end of the day, it was always about coming together with family and sharing it together,” he says.
So, then. Let’s talk about the wines. “With the sangiovese, we wanted to make an easy-drinking wine,” says Carlo. “It wouldn’t be right if we tried to be too fancy. We wanted to keep it as authentic as possible,” he says. “It was important to us that you can have a sip and go, ‘I can drink this!’” The grapes come from the Murray Darling region, so you can expect an ultra-juicy, true-to-Italian-style drop. The moscato is also from the region and errs on the drier side of the spectrum. “It’s very sunny,” says Andrew. “It’s that sunshine quality; that sweetness. But it’s not overly sweet. The boys are real sweet tooths, but I’m not, so we hit a balance where we all thought it was perfect,” he says.
Foodwise, approachability was the goal, but classic Italian is a no-brainer here. “For the sangiovese, a good steak or a veal cotoletta work best,” says Joe. “You could do some nice fish or a seafood salad with the moscato, but it works as a dessert wine, too,” he says. “But again, we chose these wines because they’re easy-drinking for anything on the table. Have it however you want. Drink it from a tumbler, drink it from a wine glass; you can do with it what you please. That’s what being approachable means.”
In the quest to deliver a classic table wine, Joe, Carlo, and Andrew have nailed it. “It’s all about family, friends and spending time with loved ones,” says Andrew. La dolce vita, as the Italians say. And just when I thought my time with Sooshi Mango would end on a nostalgic note, Italy’s absence at the upcoming World Cup is brought up. “They were too busy for the World Cup this year,” says Joe. “They’re making wine instead.”