MYSTERY GEM | CLARE VALLEY, SANGIOVESE ROSE 2025

Set in the elevated vineyards of South Australia’s Clare Valley, this Sangiovese Rosé is shaped by a season of striking contrasts that ultimately delivered fruit of vivid flavour and natural brightness. An exceptionally dry winter in 2024 nearly the driest on record meant low subsoil moisture at budburst, followed by mid-September frosts in parts of Polish Hill River. Thankfully, the early timing allowed strong vine recovery, and a warm, dry summer with an early, compact harvest produced clean, intensely flavoured grapes with beautifully retained acidity. The result is a rosé that captures Clare Valley’s hallmark freshness with a generous, modern fruit profile.

Pale salmon pink in the glass, it bursts with vibrant aromas of red apple peel, guava, raspberry, rhubarb, and strawberries-and-cream, with subtle notes of rockmelon and barely ripe stone fruit. The palate is lush and well-rounded, revealing a juicy core of mid-palate fruit sweetness—red apple, raspberry, watermelon, strawberry, and guava brightened by lively natural acidity that brings structure and balance through a fresh, clean finish.

To preserve delicacy and purity, the fruit was machine-harvested and gently pressed to minimise colour pickup, then fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeast. Stabilised and lightly filtered, it was bottled young to lock in its fresh, juicy characters and fragrant lift.

A perfect warm-weather companion, this rosé shines with a charcuterie board of cured meats and delicate cheeses, or alongside light, fresh pasta dishes, where its vibrant fruit and crisp acidity keep every bite feeling bright and effortless. Best enjoyed young within the next couple of years.