Ludo Wines Pearl Rosé 2022

Shiraz grapes from the White Valley vineyard in McLaren Vale make up this attractive Flamingo and coral hued Rosé. It’s a fragrant mix of pickled ginger, watermelon juice and red sugared peanuts. Native yeast fermented and matured in well seasoned French hogsheads for 10 months. The decision to include a barrel that developed a thin veil of flor is what makes all the difference here. It’s a heady scent of raw cashew and smashed peanut shells that then leads to Lilly Pilly and redcurrant. The palate is savoury, dry and threaded with wirey texture. This is the kind of wine that would sit happily alongside medium rare game meats, oily fish or a killer vegetable terrine. I wish more Rosés had even half the dimensions this wine possesses. It’s totally delicious now and will continue to evolve over the next 3-5 years. If I am drinking Rosé, then I’m drinking this, because it’s got pools of depth and detail, showcases the variety it’s made from and not an ounce of unnecessary sugar in sight. Bravo!