Gundog Estate Indomitus Rosa Hilltops Nebbiolo Rosé 2022

Indomitus Rosa launches into not only a serious price point for an Aussie rosé, but a serious statement about style. Winemaker Matt Burton dares us to give rosé the same focus and attention as any other table wine. He has my vote. The colour sets the scene nicely: an unusual, dark rose gold blush. It looks serious, not light-weight. Lively, vibrant confection notes lift the bouquet with summer berries and nebbiolo’s distinctive and gentle rose petal. What follows is a solid, robust flavour, textural but definitely not heavy. Imagination takes off, food possibilities come into the picture and that’s a good thing for a rosé. Rosé is not just about chugging back a glass on the patio (although Indom. could do that with ease). The touch of savouriness on the palate together with wild strawberry, cherry and a dusty earthiness plus crisp acidity completes a fine rosé.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic