(2021) Boschendal's Brut Rosé spends 12 months on the lees and has a dosage of 10g/l. It's around 70% Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and around 10% Pinotage, with 20% reserve wines. Pale peachy-pink, aromas are delicately floral and fruity with just a hint of biscuit. Keen, fresh and perceptibly dry on the palate, the mix of small, tart berries and lemon gives a fresh if perhaps slightly lean character (the wine does not see malolactic), but it slips down well and finishes with a bit of tanginess for sure.
(2019) From the Chardonnay and Pinot stronghold of the Adelaide Hills, a Pinot Noir rosé that is crammed with sweet and summer berry aromas and flavours. Relatively deep in colour, touches of spices and watermelon sit atop crushed strawberry sundae - Eton mess in a glass. In the mouth the sweetness of the fruit is noticeable, perhaps a touch of residual sugar too, but there is a freshening blast of clean acidity and little herbaceous hint that adds to the crispness.
(2019) This rosé from northern Greece is absolutely packed with flavour and personality. Made from 100% Xinomavro, it's a rosé for the Sauvignon Blanc lover perhaps. A little whiff of reduction blows off to reveal zesty and elderflower notes, a flinty quality remaining, and lots of small red berries. Dry and punchily flavoured on the palate too, a swish of tangy graperfuit drives along with the softer berry fruit giving this plenty of vivacious bangs per buck. A lot of web sites selling this are using an old picture with a much darker wine: this is the fashionable, pale Provençal shade of pink.
(2019) All Chardonnay. Very yeasty and fresh, quite a lemony and floral character, a lighter aperitif style, summery and crisp with lots of citrus and apple brightness. A straightforward style, and well made.
(2019) From limestone soils, plenty of flint and mineral touches to open stone fruit aromas, a bit of wild yeast funk. The palate has great acid structure, a beautiful core of yellow plum and lemon zest fruit.
(2019) With 250g/l of residual sugar this is essentially unfermented grape juice fortified to 16% alcohol, and it is powerful stuff. Magical nose, punches with floral, almost geranium fragrance, toffee but loads of ripe sweet nectarine, thick and honeydew flavours with very good sweetness and acid balance. Price for 50cl.
(2019) Lovely golden colour and a nose of shellac and walnut, a fruity pear-like hint. Sweet, with immediate intensity. Mouthfilling richness and concentration, orange peel and candied fruit and again a walnut richness. Around 55gl of residual sugar, which is barely detectable.
(2019) The residual sugar here rises to 95gl in a wine with such intense raisin and brown sugar character, lovely depth of caramel-edged bittersweet orange. Marmalady, long and deliciously moreish.
