Wine
Explore - Pinot Noir Rosé
The popularity of Australia’s modern Rosé has absolutely sky-rocketed in recent years. Australian winemakers are excelling at producing Rosé in the dry savoury style, especially from Pinot Noir grapes, and with amazing quality wines being made, now is the perfect time to explore them.
Neither red nor white, Rosé is essentially a pink wine made from red grapes, with minimal skin contact, in the style of a white wine. Like most white wines, Rosés are best served chilled and enjoyed soon after release. They are fantastically food-friendly, and perfectly suited to our warmer climate and laid-back lifestyle.
The high number of Rosé variations makes generalisations difficult. While styles vary, most Australian Rosés are made in a similar way, with the main differences being in the grape varieties used, the region of origin and residual sugar and alcohol levels.
When it comes to drier styles, Pinot Noir-based Rosé can be depended on to deliver good quality with soft, easy characteristics of plums, spice and an array of savoury fruits.
It goes without saying that the best Pinot Noir Rosé come from those regions that excel in the production of Pinot Noir, that is, classic cool climate regions like Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Tumbarumba, Great Southern and Orange.
A WINE SELECTOR’S EXCLUSIVE PINOT NOIR ROSÉ
Exclusive to Wine Selectors and just released, the De Iuliis Special Release Pinot Noir 2018 is a fantastic example of a great Pinot Rosé. Tasting Panellist, Adam Walls says “This wine is a benchmark for what modern day Australian Rosé is all about. It’s a captivating colour. It’s dry, mouth-watering and full of crunchy red fruits.”
Crafted from Tumbarumba fruit, it’s pale salmon in the glass and opens with delicious fresh cherry, rose petal and musk on the nose. The palate is bright, light and zesty with a delicate mix of watermelon and red grapefruit, crisp acidity and a delicate yet flavoursome finish with the merest hint of fruit sweetness persisting.
2019 CALENDAR FEBRUARY WINE OF THE MONTH
From De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley vineyards, the La Boheme Act Two Pinot Noir Rose 2018 is a Wine Selectors favourite and another standout expression.
De Bortoli’s chief winemaker, Steve Webber says he first made this pale, dry, textural Rosé back in 2011.
“At the time, the sales guys didn’t think we had a chance in hell of selling pale Rosé in the shops and said ‘knock yourselves out in the cellar door,” he says. “It basically went from 6000 bottles to over 400,000 bottles in eight years.”
“Always quite pale in colour, Pinot Rosé is quite creamy and varietal in aroma and flavour,” Steve explains. “We allow the wines to go through a secondary fermentation, which reduces the acidity and produces a softness without any sweetness. It’s my go-to Rosé.”
There’s no better time to drink pink!
Explore Pinot Noir Rosé here.