Port Phillip Estate Salasso Rose 2011
Tasting Notes
Vineyard
The Port Phillip Estate Salasso Rose is produced from 1.64 hectares of estate Shiraz.
Vintage
Much has been said about the 2010 – 2011 growing season. When the Eastern states of Australia’s decade-long drought broke in September of 2010, the rains were met with great relief. The cooler conditions delayed vine development and gave expected harvest timeframes more akin to historical averages. However the growing season weather patterns came to be shaped by a strong La Niña, which meant Spring and Summer rains were frequent and significant, increasing the time demands on our viticulture team. This season we employed a number of techniques in the vineyard not used for a number of years, including leaf plucking to improve ventilation and sunlight interception in the fruit zone. Surprisingly, fruit set was good and cropping levels quite moderate despite the lack of heat and high humidity during flowering. The ripening period was cool and extended and has produced fragrant and delicate white wines, and Pinot Noirs with attractively ripe tannins, balanced natural acidity and elegant, savoury fruit.
Winemaking
Salasso is Italian for ‘bleeding the juice’ and this Rosé is made from Shiraz vines with an average age of 14 years. The fruit is whole bunch pressed and barrel fermented without yeast inoculation in old French oak. Once dry, the wine is left sur lie for several months prior to bottling.
Tasting Note - September 2011
A seductive salmon orangey-pink colour. Delicate aromas of Fuji apple, just-ripe strawberry and cream. The palate is fresh, dry and savoury yet soft, with a core of red appley and creamy flavours and a minerally, clean length.
Alcohol
12.5%
Drink
Best to drink while young
Port Phillip Estate Salasso Rose 2011
Reviews
CIAO MAGAZINE, 6th February 2012
One of the most noticeable wine trends over the past two summers has been the growing popularity of rosé wines made in a drier style; a movement that has been dubbed “the rosé revolution.” From a terrific winery on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, this is a very savoury, quite dry wine; extremely stylish, that blossoms when paired with food. Made from shiraz grapes, it has an attractive salmon hue and strawberries and cream flavours kept in check by some subtle earthiness.
WINSOR DOBBIN
CHRISSHANAHAN.COM, 30th November 2011
We’re not great fans of vegemite or rose, though we taste both periodically just to make sure. Vegemite remains in our yuk bin. But this year we’ve enjoyed at tastings (not yet at the dinner table) several flavoursome, soft, dry roses, including Port Phillip Estate’s Salasso. It’s made from shiraz kept on skins just long enough to pick up a rinse of attractive pink-to-onion-skin colour. The fruit flavour’s strawberry like, but checked by a pleasant savouriness on a palate’s that’s soft, fresh and dry but richly textured.
CHRIS SHANAHAN
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, GOOD LIVING,
TOP 50 WINES, 29th November 2011
Pale-salmon pink colour and a savoury, barrel-influenced aroma. The taste is light, delicate, restrained, but attractively flavoured with a light acid tang, refreshing the vibrant finish. Dry and lingering aftertaste. 93/100
HUON HOOKE
THE WEEKLY REVIEW, 24th November 2011
Salasso means “bleeding the juice” in Italian, and whole bunches of grapes are pressed before the juice is fermented in old oak barrels. Made from shiraz grapes, this has aromas of raspberry, cherry, blueberry, strawberry, rosewater and zesty citrus. It tastes of strawberries and cream along with good complexity and savoury mineral notes. It has vibrant acidity, creamy texture and a nice grip. There’s good length, with berry flavours before a second wave of cherry fills the mouth. 4/5
BEN THOMAS
WINE TASTE WEEKLY, Edition 41, 18th November 2011
The cool 2011 season was a great season for rosé in the spicy, peppery, dry style, and this is one of the best of them. Reflecting the savoury personality of Mornington shiraz, it’s full of cracked pink pepper, tomato and zesty pink grapefruit. A textural, finely mineral style with a bond dry finish of great persistence. Drink 2011-2012. Rating: 94 points
TYSON STELZER
THE CANBERRA TIMES, 12th November 2011
I make no apologies for reviewing rose as often as I do. It’s a favourite style of mine and when it’s dry and crisp with lovely bright fruit characters and lower than usual alcohol, I find it hard to resist. So here’s another one I’d love you to try.
Port Phillip Estate are stars, their wines across all varieties hit the high notes. Their rose hit the spot this week, a perfect match for crudités. It’s dry and a modest 12.5 per cent alcohol, so that’s two ticks already. It gets a third tick for its texture, it’s quite well rounded and definitely not too thin and light. Fruit flavours of guava and cherry with a touch of nougat-like richness and you have the complete picture.
Rose should be enjoyed as a fun, simple wine, but if you want to look for something more serious, then it’s here in Port Phillip’s Salasso Rose. Of course, when the weather’s warm and you’re feeling parched, it will more than satisfy. This is one of those wines I’ll be seeking out again and again before the end of summer.
FERGUS McGHIE
WINEFRONT.COM.AU, 1st November, 2011
I rarely eat red meat and I’ve pretty much gone off ‘steaks’ and the like (unless it’s something awesome like Bistecca alla Fiorentina) as they’re just so boring to eat. Chomp, chomp, yawn. Love slow cooked meats like lamb shanks and oxtail best, though I’ve recently re-discovered The Schnitzel. So with a simple schnitzel and salad, I spied this wine and pegged it as a suitable candidate. Worked pretty well too. It’s a pale pink style with subtle strawberries and cream, a little soft barrel work and gently raspy texture. Good. A little at odds with all this is a swingeing level of green apple acidity that cuts through it like a pair of cymbals being bashed behind your head while you’re having a romantic picnic. So if you don’t mind that sort of thing, then it’s really good. The length is impressive too. Tricky to rate. Drink: 2011-2013. Rating: 89 points..
GARY WALSH