(2024) Re-energised after the country gained independence in the early 90s, Georgia's Tblivino is one of the better known names on export markets, though this rosé is a new wine for me. Deeper in colour than most wines in this report, redcurrant and raspberry on the nose, before the palate showing some of Saperavi's tannin and gravelly bite, to give this gastronomic appeal.
(2024) Ramón Bilbao's pink Rioja is a blend of 80% Garnacha and 20% Viura, coming from specially selected vineyards planted at between 550 and 770 metres altitude. Medium pale with a peachy hue, lots of confectionery and estery notes, hints of banana, orange and exotic fruit. In the mouth the wine is dry, quite pithy lemon fruit and acidity dominate at first, though it has a clean watermelon lightness and sour plum freshness. Quite fruity, but delicate.
(2024) South Africa's Warwick Estate has chosen to make this wine from 100% Pinotage, and it works well. The colour is pale pink with a hint of gold, and aromas floral, bright, suggesting raspberry and citrus. With only 11.5% alcohol it has plenty of zippy acidity to cleanse the palate, while the pulpy, soft summer fruits fill-out the mid-palate.
(2024) This Chilean wine is an unusual blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc, the light peach/orange colour and hint of red berries coming from Pinot Noir. Aromatically, small redcurrant and cranberry notes join racier lemon withba touch of orange peel. The palate is fairly straightforward with citrus juiciness and a dry finish.
(2024) From Lisboa, this is mostly the local Castelão, along with 20% Tinta Roriz and 20% Syrah. The colourful label, from a joyful painting by street artist Hauke Vagt, sets the tone for an easy drinking but crisp and refreshing wine, pale salmon in colour and with a juicy strawberry and citrus palate. The picture here is fun, but actually very nicely balanced and juicy stuff.
(2024) A blend of Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah, Lebanese producer Ixsir's winemaker Gabriel Rivero spent eight years at Sociando-Malet and says “IXSIR is fundamentally about new world winemaking in an old world country." With vineyards at 1,800m metres, each variety comes from a plot matched for climate and soil type. Pale, if not quite as pale in colour as some, it has plenty of fragrance, with watercolour paintbox and floral aromas, cherry and rose-hip. Quite a heady aromatic profile. The palate is dry, with a peachy, nectarine fruit, a little strawberry and good balance with a peach skin bite of a little grip, citrus acidity and good length.
(2024) The Rosé is a new addition to the Mouton-Cadet line-up, from a vineyard of organically farmed Merlot in Bordeaux. It's a crunchy and aromatic wine, very dry and gastronomic, with a burst of Seville orange to the fruit. The palate has some intense small red berry savouriness and very good acidity. This 2021 drinking very nicely.
(2024) 100% Bobal, this comes from Utiel-Requena, just inland from Valencia. It's lightweight stuff, harvested at night from higher altitude vineyards and made in stainless steel. It's a vivid, cotton candy pink with cherry lips and Bazooka Joe bubblegum character, marked as dry on the label but with a bit of residual sugar sweetness. It's far from sophisticated, perhaps akin to a Mateus Rosé without the spritz, but if that appeals it's cheap as chips at Aldi.
(2024) Lampe de Méduse in its striking genie's lamp bottle is a pale and attractive, organic certified rosé from clay and limestone soils. The blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Tibouren, Mourvèdre and Syrah has a strawberry shortcake nose, delightfully crammed with summery red berries. The palate has real vibrancy, ripe and punchy berries scythed through by salts and lemon acidity. Very good.
(2024) In its very fancy bottle and with a super pale colour this is a Provence ringer, but actually from the Languedoc. It's one of the most vibrant, intense wines of its style in this year's round-up, peach, pink fig and strawberry among the brightly fruity aromas. The palate follows through, the keen stripe of rhubarb-like acidity flashing through the ripe red fruits. Crisp, fruit-filled, distinctive and impressive.
