2009 Terra Felix La Vie En Rose.

Silver Medal
100% Mouvedre
Alc 12.9%
No fining, no allergens.
Preservatives 220 (sulphur dioxide)

Tasting notes: Vibrant colour with lively purple hues. Lifted aroma of rose petals and cherries. Powerful fruit flavours are enhanced by a well structured palate. Clean finish with crisp acidity. Enjoy with a range of summer foods including seafood platters and cold meat collations.

Winemaker ramblings:
Rosé varietals are often country dependent, so a rosado from Spain will often be largely derived from the Tempranillo and Grenache grapes, while Italy may utilize more Sangiovese for their rosatos and the U.S. would tend to lean towards Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. Australia has tended to produce Roses from a wide range of varieties.

Terra Felix has a particular affinity with the styles of wine that originate in France’s Rhone Valley. Our flagship wine the Shiraz/Viognier is crafted as a unique Australian style but based on the French traditional blend. The French style originated from the tradition of mixed plantings of Viognier and Shiraz in the Rhone Valley. Mouvedre is another of the traditional varieties from that area and the Terra Felix varietal dry red Mouvedre is one of only a few in Australia. It followed then that when we decided to have a Rose it should be made from a Rhone variety and it fitted perfectly with our winemaking philosophy to use Mouvedre grapes for it. Rose is not just a tradition in the south of France it is also a way of life. Long summers are often spent sipping Rose and enjoying life as only the French can do.

Many Australian Roses are made as a by-product of other wines. The winemaker finds it convenient to drain lightly colored juice from a red fermentation in order to boost the colour and structure of the red wine. Not so for this wine. True flavour was achieved using whole grapes but with just 24 hrs in contact with the grape skins rather than a much longer time for the Mouvedre dry red wine. Using this method I was able to judge exactly the moment when optimum flavour and colour was achieved. The colour is slightly darker than most European styles or even many of the Australian styles, particularly the ones made from Pinot Noir. I wanted this wine to be a serious Rose with structure and flavour to suit the hot Australian summers. Yet it became a fine balancing act to pack the wine with flavour and still be true to its name of La Vie En Rose, life in pink. Summers are fun and this Rose is fun, capturing sunlight, grape flavours, and crisp acidity. Enjoy chilled on a beach!

Winemaker. Terry Barnett.

(see review)