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The Mudgee wine region can claim a share in what has been labelled the best Rosé across Australia.
After the release of James Halliday’s 2014 Australian Wine Companion on Thursday it was revealed a Mudgee and Orange blended Saignée topped the nation.
The 2012 Gilbert by Simon Gilbert Saignée was rated 96 points in the annual companion, one-point ahead of the 2012 Charles Melton Rosé of Virginia (Barossa, SA) and the 2012 Golden Ball Cherish a la proven- cale (Beechworth, Vic).
Local winemaker Simon Gilbert said he was excited by the accolade.
“It goes hand-in-hand with our 4.5 star rating by James Halliday,” he said.
“We made our first foray into the Sangiovese Shiraz Barbera blend in 2011 and we knew the 2012 was a cut above our first release. We think the 2013 will be even better.”
It’s a big claim for a wine that already holds high value by Mr Halliday.
“Bright pale pink; this is one of the most highly perfumed bouquets I can recollect ever encoun- tering, a vivid combination of strawberry and nettle leaf, fol- lowed by an incisive and mouth
watering palate with no concession whatsoever to sweetness. Truly exceptional,” Mr Halliday said in his companion.
Mr Gilbert said his team, inclu- sive of assistant winemakers Will Gilbert and also Gina White, now working in Margaret River, felt the marketplace was saturated with Shiraz Rosé blends and their combination would be an excep- tional point of difference.
Saignée is crafted by bleeding the Rosé juice off from the fermenter shortly after the grapes are crushed, thereby concentrat- ing the red wine left to ferment on skins.
Mr Gilbert said this allowed greater control of the Saignée and also provided concentration, weight and diversity of flavour in the red wine that is left on skins to ferment.
Assistant winemaker, Will Gilbert, said an increase in the country’s perception of Rosé and a campaign known as the Rosé Revolution would suit the bone- dry Saignée.
He said the accolade was a reflection of the region and its new and young face, striving for quality wine.
Also making the top Rosé list was a 2012 Robert Stein Saignée which scored 94 points.
The 2012 Gilbert by Simon Gilbert Saignée is currently on sale and the 2013 vintage will be available in spring this year.