Longview Vineyard Boat Shed Nebbiolo Rosé 2012 (Adelaide Hills, SA)
13.5%, Screwcap, $19.50
Source: Sample
www.longviewvineyard.com.au

Nebbiolo is an excellent grape to make rosé out of, those tannins and that wonderful turkish delight fragrance making for a wine of grip and flavour. This crisp and balanced example does it very well – I helped finish a bottle last night so can vouch for that (wine writers drink wine too you know. Not often mind you, its normally just beer).

What I also like is that orange salmon pink colour – it just says ‘proper rosé’. This smells varietal too, with rose water, sap and shows a little fruit sweetness on the nose. The palate is dry, lightly tannic and quite ripe, the wine clean and fresh with raised acidity and a little alcohol warmth. Those tannins are what really clinches the drinkability though, giving an extra sensation of ‘grown up wine’ to what can be a very unserious wine style. Winner.

Drink: 2012-2013
Score: 17/20 90/100
Would I buy it? On a restaurant list this would be a very natural pick.