I absolutely love an ice-cold rosé on a hot summers day and when it’s made from a dry red varietal like Shiraz or Pinotage, my heart leaps for joy. That’s why I was super excited to try the new Zandvliet Wines Shiraz Rosé and I was not disappointed! If the beautiful and elegant packaging wasn’t enough, it’s the marvelous taste that keeps your tastebuds thirsty for more!
Shiraz Rosé Tasting Notes:
The Zandvliet Shiraz Rosé 2019 is gold-pink in colour and displays a distinct bouquet of rose petals, melon, strawberries and raspberry coulis. The palate is well rounded though refreshingly vibrant, packed with red fruit flavours and a long, floral finish.
Zandvliet Wines is often refered to as the home for Shiraz due to their highly awarded range of exceptional wines coming out of the Robertson Wine Valley. Captivating and chic, the Zandvliet Shiraz Rosé has a depth of flavour to be expected from masterly-crafted wine.
It is well-known that the quality of any wine is determined by the quality of fruit in the vineyard. For this wine, however, Shiraz grapes were specifically farmed to make high-quality rosé.
Within days of release, its provenance was affirmed in a Double Gold medal awarded at the Rosé Rocks, the dedicated championship for South African rosé wines. Hooray!
A Note from the Winemaker:
“From the start, we were determined to create a wine that reflected the history of Zandvliet and its long heritage with Shiraz,” says winemaker Jacques Cilliers, who has been with Zandvliet since 2012. “We also wanted it to be a tribute to the unique characters who have shaped its story.
“We like to think of the long romance between Zandvliet and Shirazhaving culminated this year in this ‘pink-feet’ rosé,” he adds.
The vineyard that produced the wine lies on a gentle, south-facing slope in rocky, chalk-rich soils that underscore all Zandvliet’s premier wines.
Jacques notes that the growing season that produced the grapes was characterised by a moderate summer with cooling south-easterly breezes, low night temperatures, and cold winter.
When harvest came, the fruit was picked during the early morning to ensure it remained at its best. Attentive vinification followed in the cellar resulting in a wine that makes a proud addition to the Zandvliet portfolio.
This wine is most definitely best enjoyed chilled.
“This is a versatile wine,” says Jacques. “It pairs beautifully with seafood, light pastas, fish and pork tenderloin.”
So where can you get this wine?
Zandvliet Shiraz Rosé sells for around R85 and is available from the farm and selected wine retailers countrywide. Zandvliet Wine Estate is located near the village of Ashton, off the R60.
For more information, contact zandvliet@vanloveren.co.za or visit www.zandvliet.co.za. Find and share your memories of the estate with ZandvlietWine on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and, as Zandvliet Wines, on Pinterest.
