Friday June 28 is International Rosé Day, and to celebrate we're bringing you four expressions from De Bortoli, Longview Vineyard, Mount Benson Estate and Paddington Lane. We spoke to the makers about why they love rosé, what makes their rosé special, and how best you should enjoy the pink drink this International Rosé Day.
Starting with De Bortoli's 2023 La Bohème Dry Rosé, estate manager Leanne De Bortoli says she loves rosé for its approachability and its ability to be enjoyed as an apéritif or with food (try the La Bohème with bluefin tuna sashimi). For those after something a little different, try Mount Benson Estate's 2021 Bubbling Rose of Syrah. It has a vibrant burgundy colour and can be enjoyed with a broad range of canapés such as smoked salmon, cured meats and cheese platters.
From the Adelaide Hills comes Longview Vineyard's 2023 Juno Rosato. Winemaker Peter Saturno says he loves that rosé works for any occasion and with any food (especially seafood and antipasto). All the Juno really needs is great company.
Finally, Paddington Lane's 2023 No.1 Dry Rosé pairs with charcuterie, or the Fourth Wave team's top pick in polenta fries with truffle. Managing director Ross Marshall says rosé is the ultimate occasion drink – it's the star at picnics and barbecues but is also perfect to toast celebrations.
Find your new favourite rosé below.
2023 De Bortoli La Bohème Dry Rosé
Pale salmon colour. Delicate red fruits, gently aromatic. Dry, creamy, textural, persistent and seriously delicious.De Bortoli Yarra Valley estate manager Leanne De Bortoli says: I enjoy rosé for its approachability. It is a wonderful wine on its own as well as with food like charcuterie. We were at the forefront of Australia’s pale dry rosé movement to get more people to try and understand and enjoy the difference between pale, dry rosé against the darker coloured, sweeter style.
H. What makes this rosé special?
LDB. Many years ago, Steve and I were in the south of France and we had a pale rosé that piqued our interest. It was delicious, pale pink, dry and textural and perfect for a summer's day. At that time most rosé wines in Australia were very dark pink and quite sweet. We decided to make a pale, dry rosé the following vintage. The La Bohème Dry Rosé was the catalyst behind starting the La Bohème wine range.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process for this wine?
LDB. The fruit is harvested and pressed immediately, the juice is settled overnight and then racked to vats and casks and allowed to ferment naturally. The wine is stirred post ferment and undergoes malolactic fermentation to give creaminess and complexity. The wine is matured briefly in older oak casks to give further palate texture and depth of flavour.
H. How should people enjoy this rosé on International Rosé Day?
LDB. The La Bohème Dry Rosé is a pale and dry rosé that is a great wine to enjoy on its own as well as paired with food. I particularly enjoy this wine with bluefin tuna sashimi.
RRP $21.95 | Drink to 2026 | Shop this wine | debortoli.com.au
2023 Longview Juno Rosato
A beguiling rosewater hue with glints of copper immediately draw one in. Out of the glass lifts a remarkable perfume of fresh red berries, pressed flowers, nectarine skin and the trademark nebbiolo whiff of star anise. In the mouth it’s a refreshing hit of white stone fruit flesh culminating in a zippy citrus-juice finish that cleanses the palate and sets it up for another sip.CEO and winemaker Peter Saturno says: I love that rosé wines have the versatility to work with any food and for any occasion.
H. What makes this rosé special?
PS. Nebbiolo! We have been making nebbiolo rosé for over 20 years and its texture and aromatic lift is so unique. It works so well as an aperitif style, but can even be used for richer dishes.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process for this wine?
PS. The famed 1-11 clone of nebbiolo makes up the majority of the blend for our Juno Rosato. As the 2023 vintage was very small, we also picked a high-quality parcel of pinot nero to blend in with the nebbiolo. This pinot nero gives the wine an additional perfume lift as well as a wonderful acid line. The fruit was hand-picked, then chilled to 10 degrees. It was then crushed, de-stemmed and the free run juice separated and fermented for this light style.
H. How should people enjoy this rosé on International Rosé Day?
PS. Serve slightly chilled with seafood and/or antipasto. And definitely pair with good company – just make sure you have more than one bottle!
RRP $28 | Drink to 2026 | Shop this wine | longviewvineyard.com.au
2021 Mount Benson Estate Bubbling Rose of Syrah
Made from shiraz (95 per cent) and cabernet sauvignon (five per cent) and carbonated at bottling. The rich colour and flavour of the shiraz grape transcends into the finished wine. The luscious ruby hue opens on the palate delivering generous nuances of fresh maraschino cherry, mulberries, and raspberry.Owner and viticulturist Brian Nitschinsk says: Rosé was always that likeable, uncomplicated wine that went with a broad selection of nibbles and you shared with a few close friends on those long warm afternoons of early summer. Light to medium on the palate, flavoursome without being fruity, food friendly, fresh and quaffable.
H. What makes this rosé special?
BN. Our Bubbling Rose of Syrah is a little bit different in a nice way. The assuring ‘POP’ from the cork raises expectation, as does the vibrant burgundy colour, and the bouquet of cherry is equally matched by the summer fruits on the palate.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process for this wine?
BN. Made from shiraz grapes from our Block 10, gently crushed and destemmed before putting to tank to rest for three days to absorb colour and flavour. Lightly pressed and returned to tank for a cool ferment with specialist yeast. Left to rest on gross lees initially, then fine for over three months before fining with vegan friendly pea protein and bottling.
H. How should people enjoy this rosé on International Rosé Day?
BN. Serve chilled at 4–5 degrees but don’t freeze. Open the bottle with some theatre, pour into chilled Champagne flutes, enjoy with a broad range of canapés such as smoked salmon, cured meats and cheese platters. Or simply just Jatz topped smoked ham and Roma tomato slices, or blue cheese, or paté. Enjoy today with friends, but be aware of the cork and the vibrant fizz.
RRP $25 | Drink to 2030 | Shop this wine | mountbensonestate.com
2023 Paddington Lane No.1 Dry Rosé
Light in colour with pink highlights, lifted raspberry and spiced cherry aromas. The palate is bright, zesty and flavoursome with a refreshingly balanced finish.Fourth Wave Wine managing director Ross Marshall says: Rosé is versatile and each regions’ expression of this style can be so different. It has a place for many occasions, from summer picnics or lunchtime barbecues to evenings and celebrations. Depending on the style it can be a light or a more pronounced experience, all on a spectrum of its own.
H. What makes this rosé special?
RM. Paddington Lane No. 1 is made from grenache and cinsault. It is bone dry and bright, made from premium grapes of the Fleurieu region in the style of a Provence rosé. Light in colour, lifted raspberry and spiced cherry aromas, this is a zesty, refreshing rosé that delivers a balanced finish. Paddington Lane offers consumers the opportunity to explore different styles of rosé within the same line up. It cleverly showcases the ability of Australian fruit to produce styles that are consistent with global styles. When lined up, you can see the difference between the colour and taste the subtle variances in flavours and styles.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process for this wine?
RM. Grenache (86 per cent) and cinsault (14 per cent), macerated on skins for eight hours before gentle pressing and long, cool ferment in stainless steel. Fermented to dryness, racked from lees and bottled with minimum fining to preserve lifted fruit aromatics and fruit forward palate.
H. How should people enjoy this rosé on International Rosé Day?
RM. Chilled and shared with friends or family. The No. 1 Dry Rosé is a partner for light-grilled meats or great for charcuterie, goats cheese and small bites such as mushroom arancini or the teams' current favourite – polenta fries with truffle.
RRP $28.99 | Drink to 2029 | Shop this wine | fourthwavewine.com.au
Top image credit: Longview Vineyard.
