Delamere Vintage Sparkling Rosé 2016

This wine has an alluring, complex aroma of secondary Pinot Noir characters. Potpourri and baked shortbread features on the nose and palate. The savoury character of the wine is framed beautifully by firm phenolics, rich texture and a long seamless palate.

The grapes for our Vintage Sparkling Rosé were whole bunch pressed, wild fermented followed by full malo, with tiraging in November 2016. Nine years aging on lees and a low dosage of less than 4 grams allows the voluptuous flavours of the fruit to shine through. Crafted using 100% Pinot Noir grapes and made in the traditional method, the Vintage Sparkling Rosé is a perfect expression of the balance between the primary fruit flavours as well as the autolysis characters achieved by extended time on lees.

Shane’s official foray into winemaking took place in 2001, although the seed was planted many years earlier when his family established their Adelaide Hills vineyard. A previous career path (marine biology and aquaculture) brought him to Tasmania where he took up a vintage cellarhand position to help pay the rent whilst undertaking post-graduate research.

Two weeks into harvest and he was hooked! From his new home base in Tasmania, Shane completed the Adelaide University post-graduate degree in winemaking and embarked on vintages in the Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley and Oregon (USA). The passionate and dynamic winemaking community in Tasmania, and the enormous potential for discovery, lured him back.

Fran joined Shane in their Delamere Vineyard business in 2011. Relocating to Tasmania from her home state of Western Australia a decade earlier to pursue a passion for cool climate wines, Fran’s interest in Champagne style wines trace back to her days studying winemaking at Adelaide University. With many years of winemaking experience in top wine regions around the world, including Burgundy, Oregon, Yarra Valley and the Adelaide Hills, Fran chose to settle in Tasmania due to the unparalleled fruit quality. Who would have predicted a girl from Kalgoorlie would end up making cool climate wine in the apple isle? Not many! But certainly there is no place Fran would rather be.

97 Points - The Real Review