Coaldale Walnuts feature in new-release nocino

Now you can also drink Coaldale walnuts! Stefano Lubiana Wines has just released their Occio! Nocino. This Italian liqueur has been made from our Coaldale green walnuts steeped in grape spirit. We love working with other local brands and it’s been great to see our walnuts transformed into something completely different.

We visited the winery and osteria in January and Monique Lubiana showed us the huge terracotta vat which has been brewing with their grappa and our walnuts for the past year to produce Australia’s finest nocino. We’ve tried quite a few nocinos in our travels and this one, with its winter spice overtones and syrupy consistency, is the winner for us.

Two women stand with a large terracotta vat between them. The vat contains black walnut fruit soaking in grappa. — Monique from Stefano Lubiana Wines (left) and Jane from Coaldale Walnuts (right) check how the nocino is coming along.

According to the winery, nocino was initially thought to have originated in Northern Italy but was actually born in Britain, made first by the Druids, then adopted by the Romans around 300 AD. There are many superstitions surrounding nocino and its production.

Stefano Lubiana Wines only makes nocino in very small quantities, so it won’t be available for long.