Walk on the wild side with these roses: Geoff Hardy’s K1, Zonte’s Footstep, Margan & Soumah

This spring the revolution is in full swing and here’s four beauties that vary slightly in style but not in quality.

Boys should not be afraid to drink pink.

I’ve never seen a wine like this: pink diamonds are shimmering in my glass, throwing off blue and purple sparkles in the springtime sun. It’s a head-turning show stopper.

This is why I love drinking rose: a wine style without a rule book; a walk on the wild side.

We know shiraz is shiraz and chardonnay is chardonnay but we often don’t know what grape lies in our rose – it could be shiraz or cabernet or pinot noir or grenache, or countless other varieties. It’s a winemaker’s chance to play the field.

The rose clamouring for attention in my glass is made from durif – a grape more commonly used in Australia to create big-flavoured, inky table wines best drunk in the depths of winter.

The bloke behind the wine, Geoff Hardy, has been making wine since the 1970s and hails from one of Australia’s pioneering wine families. But he tells me this is the first time he’s made his K1 Adelaide Hills Rose purely from durif. In previous vintages, he’s blended shiraz or pinot along with the durif.

“This year, the durif just looked so darn wonderful; so iridescent, we just let it be,’’ he says.

In recent years, rose has become something of a wine fashion statement where appearances do matter. The colour wheel spins from the salmon hues of Provence to the faint blush of light lunch-friendly wines, to brighter cherry reds and their deeper flavours.

And styles vary as well: from crisp and dry to textural and savoury, to creamy and fruity.

You’ll only know what you love when you experiment, so The Australian Wine Club this week offers four delicious roses, varying ever so slightly in style but not in quality. And boys, don’t be afraid to drink pink. The rose revolution is fully inclusive.

K1 Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills Durif Rose 2021

Geoff Hardy’s great-great-grandfather Thomas Hardy first planted grapes in South Australia in the 1850s. Geoff and his wife Fiona established what is now known as the K1 vineyard at Kuitpo in the Adelaide Hills in the 1980s, growing premium cool-climate fruit. From the near perfect 2021 vintage, this brilliantly coloured rose draws you in with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, pepper and rose petals, leading to a juicy palate that finishes crisp and dry. Lovely balance between fruit and acidity. Bring on a Thai red seafood curry. 11.5% alc. RRP $25 a bottle. SPECIALS $21.25 in any mixed dozen; $19.99 in rose dozen.

Zonte’s Footstep Scarlet Ladybird Fleurieu Rose 2020

A blend of grenache/cabernet sauvignon/tempranillo from McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek fuels this double gold-medal winner. Strawberries and rose petals flutter across the flavour spectrum, with a touch of white pepper spice adding complexity. Slightly heavier in style than the K1. Scored 93 points. 13.5% alc. RRP $25 a bottle. SPECIALS $19.99 in any mixed dozen; $19.99 in rose dozen.

Margan Family Rose & Bramble Hunter Valley Rose 2021

 

This is crisp, subtle and serious. A superb blend of shiraz, merlot, barbera and (believe it or not) pinot gris delivers a lunchtime thirst quencher. A delicate waft of rose petals and berries introduces a melange of mulberry, strawberry and pink grapefruit flavours, with a zesty acidity driving to a long finish. Light and dry, this ethereal experience may be lifted further with snapper ceviche. 12% alc. RRP $27.50 a bottle. SPECIALS $23.38 in any mixed dozen; $19.99 in rose dozen.

Soumah Single Vineyard Ai Fiori Yarra Valley Rosato 2020

A blend of nebbiolo, pinot noir and brachetto gives this Yarra Valley beauty an air of savoury wildness. Bright crimson in colour, the Ai Fiori delivers rich red cherry, pomegranate and strawberry notes, pepped up with a rustic spiciness, adding waves of complexity. Finishes with a citrus burst. The perfect summer stopover for pinot noir fans. 92 Halliday points. RRP $28. SPECIALS $23.80 in any mixed dozen; $19.99 in rose dozen.

ROSE MIXED DOZEN DEAL Three bottles of each wine: $19.99 a bottle.

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine People.