Two wine styles bucking the general downward trend in wine consumption in Australia are rosé and sparkling wine. Check out this graph from Wine Australia.
So how appropriate that last week I not only had a visit from Rohan Smith, winemaker at Medhurst Estate, one of my favourite rosé producers, but I also had lunch earlier this week with Xavier Bizot, winemaker and founder of Daosa, one of the country’s best sparkling wine producers.
Medhurst Estate
This Yarra Valley winery was established in 2000 by self-confessed rosé tragic Ross Wilson. One of the first things Ross did was establish a dedicated rosé vineyard, planting it with cabernet and shiraz. People just don’t do this, with most wineries tending to treat rosé as more of an afterthought.
Talented winemaker Simon Steel left Medhurst last year after almost 10 years at the helm. With big shoes to fill, new winemaker Rohan Smith is more than up to the task, with several of his wines, already winning awards. I’ve met and tasted with Rohan several times and he’s a great bloke as well as a terrific winemaker.
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Like all budding winemakers, Rohan started his studies with a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Con, followed by further musical studies in London. A successful career as classical flautist and general muso ensued, until his mid 30s when the wine itch he’d had for years had to be scratched. Rohan followed his passion, completing a bachelor of wine science through Charles Sturt Uni, graduating as dux with a university medal, no less.
Rohan visited me last week in Sydney and I had to ask him about his recent selection, from over 165 applicants, as one of only 12 Len Evans Tutorial Scholars for 2024. This extraordinary annual event, referred to as “the greatest wine school on earth” by James Halliday, is hosted over 5 days in the Hunter, with the scholars tasting what can only be described as some of the greatest wines on earth!
Here’s the official description: “The twelve scholars are led through workshops, master classes and tastings by a panel of highly experienced, internationally recognised industry experts. Our panel of tutors includes a broad range of professionals, such as winemakers, importers, Masters of Wine and business owners, who are chosen for their insights into a variety of wine styles. Several past scholars are now invited as tutors.”
This year’s event was held just a few weeks ago and Rohan gave me a run-down of the Monday to Friday schedule. Every morning started with a 30-wine judging bracket, followed by some sort of masterclass in the afternoon, and a formal dinner in the evening, where there were brackets of blind wines and options games. On Friday morning there was an OTT Domaine de la Romanée-Conti masterclass, followed by an afternoon of celebrations, and awards presentation. The event is assisted by a who’s who of the Hunter industry, with many of the big names tutoring, stewarding or both.
Here's the full list of wines tasted during the week which I encourage you to take a peek at. Simply mind blowing!
Medhurst Rosé 2024
Year in year out, this is one of my favourite rosés, and this vintage, Rohan’s first in charge, is no exception.
The 2024 is a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% shiraz. Similar to previous vintages, the fruit was handpicked from low-yielding vines, before being left overnight in a cool room. This ensured it was cold for pressing the next morning, as well as minimising both oxidation and colour development. Only 530L per tonne of juice was obtained from the fruit (usual rates are around 700L/tonne), showing just how softly the fruit was squeezed. Gentle pressing not only ensures the best juice is obtained, it also explains the pale colour. The wine ends up being more expensive to make - even though it’s still sold at such a good price. 95% pf the juice was fermented in stainless steel with the remaining 5% fermented in used French oak hogsheads to enhance texture and mouthfeel. It was bottled with light filtering and minimal sulphur. The finished wine is 12.7% alcohol and sealed with screwcap.
In the glass, this is a crystal clear pale copper, the classic colour of Provence rosé. On the nose, juicy red berry fruit, white peach and melon notes mingle with musk. And on the palate, zingy sherbet notes, complement fresh raspberry and musk, morphing into white pepper and stony mineral notes, with a nice jot of herbaceousness on the chic, dry finish. Nice silky mouthfeel. Opens up beautifully after a few minutes.
“Brilliant and clear in appearance with a pale copper blush and a vibrant salmon hue. The nose opens up with delicate jasmine florals, candied orange and wild strawberries with just a hint of bay leaf. The palate is brimming with fresh cassis, juicy red currants, strawberry and a touch a passionfruit pith and is finely and textured with lovely fruit weight. This single vineyard Rosé has a trademark long, chalky line and a delicate, dry finish that will leave you salivating for more!” Winemaker’s notes.
“Medhurst have always made one of the Yarra’s best rosés and new winemaker Rohan Smith hasn’t missed a beat with this wine. A bright copper colour, this expressive wine features aromas of red berries and blood oranges together with a hint of fennel and some floral notes. Flavoursome, pithy and precise, this is just begging for barbecued lamb cutlets or some goat’s cheese if meat isn't your thing.” 95 points and a Special Value Rating, Philip Rich, James Halliday Wine Companion.
A great review and perfect Christmas drinking.
I can offer it for $28 a bottle.
It was great seeing Xavier Bizot at lunch earlier this week at Fix Wine Bar in the city. I’ve been a fan of Xavier’s winemaking for years and have told his story many times. Here it is in a nutshell. Xavier’s father was Christian Bizot, Bollinger patriarch and chairman from the late 70s to the mid 90s, and his great aunt was the famous Lily Bollinger. When Bollinger looked to expand their interests in the 80s, they invested in Petaluma, the iconic South Australian winery, started in 1976 by Brian Croser. Brian is a leading figure in the Australian wine industry and father to Lucy, who married Xavier in 2003. I think you’d be hard pressed to find better winemaking credentials in a couple! In 2005 they moved back to Adelaide from Paris where Xavier worked as a lawyer, to establish a small domaine in Wrattonbully, naming it Terre à Terre, meaning ‘down to earth’. They also started producing wines from their Adelaide Hills vineyards, including Daosa, which has become regarded as one of Australia’s best sparkling wines.
At the lunch we tasted all of Xavier’s sparkling wines, including his delicious sparkling rosé.
Interest in Australian sparking rosé is very recent, no doubt fuelled by a wider interest in rosé in general. But rosé champagne is no new fad. “Historians at Champagne Ruinart found papers recording that on March 14, 1764 - 250 years ago - Ruinart sold bottles of rosé Champagne. It was previously thought that Veuve Clicquot was the first to produce and sell rosé Champagne, in 1775.” Wine Spectator.
Despite this, it wasn’t really until the last 50 years that rosé champagne was more generally released. It’s interesting to note that when they were released, it wasn’t as some entry level sip-and-giggle, it was a prestige cuvée. Krug released its first rosé in 1983, Louis Roederer its first Cristal Rosé in 1974 and Dom Perignon’s first rosé was 1962.
Daosa Piccadilly Valley Rosé 2020
This new-ish sparkling wine from Xavier is made from 100% pinot noir, the fruit sourced entirely from Xavier’s Piccadilly Vineyard, located at altitude in the Adelaide Hills. It’s 100% pinot noir, handpicked and made using the same traditional method used in champagne. The rosé colour comes from more time in the press and also from the addition of a small volume of pinot noir still wine at tirage, which is when a liquid solution of sugar, yeast and wine is added to the still wines to initiate the secondary fermentation, which adds the bubbles. It spent 22 months ageing on lees in bottle.
This is such a delightful wine, full of fragrant strawberry aromas and flavours. It’s fresh and dry, with a lovely soft mouthfeel. Yum.
“This is the first release of our DAOSA Rosé from our Piccadilly Valley vineyards. This wine is made exclusively from Pinot Noir following the principles of our Method Classic. The rosé colour comes from more time in the press and also from the addition of a small volume of Pinot Noir still wine at tirage. It is a very complex style of rosé, with a pink salmon colour. The strawberry aromas and subtle red blossom fragrances carry through on the palate, with a dry and spicy finish.” Winemaker’s notes.
“Very light salmon-pink hue; pot-pourri, quince-paste, nutty and just-ripe strawberry aromas, very appealing and the oak factor is quite subtle. Full and rich in the mouth, with a pleasingly dry but soft-textured finish. (22 months on lees. All fermentation and malolactic in barrel)” 95 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review.
Everyone I show this wine to loves it - and I think you will too.
I can offer it for $64 a bottle.
I also have some of the magnificent Daosa Blanc de Blanc 2015.
“Medium to light yellow colour, with a fresh bouquet which showcases coconut, nougat and cashew nut, indicating barrel use, plus lemon curd. It’s full-bodied and weighty, revealing great concentration of fruit flavour, richness and grip. Very dry finish as a result. Powerful, long finish. A very individual style: not a fine Champagne lookalike but something more generous and fruit-rich. An excellent wine.” 96 points, Drink until 2027, Huon Hooke, The Real Review Tasted 26th Sep 2019.
Bear in mind this review was written a few years ago, so now, with a few years age on it, the wine is rich, complex and powerful enough to pair with food… I’m thinking Christmas lunch. Perfect!
I can offer it for $85 a bottle.
