4 February 2011

Question. What is a good rose supposed to taste like?

Answer. Nobody knows!

The Rose revival continues in Australia, but the question is… who is drinking them? It is very challenging to walk into a bottle shop and choose a rose that you are unfamiliar with as there is no way of knowing what it will taste like.

If you buy a bottle of riesling, then you expect it o taste like riesling. With rose, there are so many styles that it gets confusing. In this tasting, we looked at a number of wines that ranged from sugary fruit-bombs to delicate, pale and dry wines. To me the wines from De Bortoli were the stand-out, as they seam perfectly suited to a plate of antipasto.

The sauvignon blancs were also hit and miss. They were all Australian and again, the styles varied.

It is worth pointing out that this tasting had a high attrition rate, with many wines not making it to these pages.

Tasted

White

Deviation Road – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Grassy and slightly savoury nose. The palate is more straightforward, with lovely zesty acidity. There are hints of tropical fruit on a refreshing finish. Points for being a good drink.

Wicks Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Quite oily and textured nose with aromas in the gooseberry/grassy spectrum. There is also a mealy almond character. The palate is dense and textured, with more secondary characters. A touch of viscosity in the mouth adds to the finish.

Sarantos – Sauvignon Blanc – Soft Press – 2010 (16.5). Quite vibrant and floral. Long and crisp, this has texture and spice on the palate.

Xabregas – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (16.5). Initially closed, but develops some floral notes. The palate is bursting with vibrant fruit. There is plenty of fresh acidity and a hint of residual sugar to balance the finish. Will be better in six months due to the relatively high CO2 and a touch of sulphur. (One panelist felt this was more like a riesling in style).

De Bortoli – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon/Rolle – La Boheme – Act One – 2010 (16.4). Almond meal on the nose. The palate is lean, dry and crisp. A good drink.

Rymill – Sauvignon Blanc – The Yearling – 2010 (16.2). Grassy/herbaceous nose that follows through to the palate. A firm finish suggests a relatively serious wine that should improve with some time in the bottle.

Rose

De Bortoli – Rose – 2010 (16.7). Pale salmon colour. Delicate nose. The palate has lovely peppery fruit along with some fresh plum and currant flavours. Complex and savoury, this is a very smart wine. (Pinot)

De Bortoli – Rose – La Boheme – Act Two – Pinot 2010 (16.5). Pale salmon colour. Again, savoury with hints of spice. The flavours are quite neutral and the slightly salty, tangy finish begs for some food. (Pinot)

Victory Point – Rose – 2010 (16.3). Lifted red strawberry fruits here. The palate is generous and relatively dry. The crunchy acidity adds to the texture.