WINEGENIUS.COM
‘Good deep colour and shows savoury aromatics of blackberry with leather and earthy complexity. Dry, quite powerful, full-bodied and acid driven, it is a structural style with layers of fruit, character and dry, grainy tannins to match. Demands food and or time.’
93 POINTS
WINEFRONT By Campbell Mattinson
‘Building a proud/fine history…Savoury appeal. Mellow flavour. Assertive tannin but in an integrated way. This is good. Dust, chocolate, leather, sweet-sour cherries, tar. The flavours show some development but in a positive sense; this will be good to go anytime from now and over the next 10 years. Tannic kick, kitted with savoury character, is of particular note.’
93 POINTS
INDAILY.COM.AU By Philip White
‘Grown and made by Prof (ret.) Freeman at Hilltops on the broad uplands near Young. After a lifetime teaching people about grape vines he imported and in 1999 first established the Rondinella and Corvina varieties which are now right here in this really lovely wine. It was made from deliberately raisined grapes, although Freeman makes fair mileage from the fact that he shrinks his berries in a Prunevale neighbour’s prune dehydrator.
Stop. When I sniff this wine I shrivel. Then I melt. No reason to change this lovely fragrance. It is masterly. Complex. Composed. Sauvage. Sophisticated. Drink expectantly … once again, behind the flaps it’s a lithe, dry, blistered black bat of a drink, you guessed it, with real short furry tannin.’
HALLIDAY MAGAZINE By James Halliday
‘Has a fragrant bouquet and a vibrant palate…and notes of morello cherry…’
94 POINTS
WINSOR’S CHOICE By Winsor Dobbin
‘One of Australia’s best savoury rosés. It is certainly deliciously drinkable in the style of the Veneto, and extremely food friendly. A very good choice for an early-evening tipple on the back porch…’
SCOFFERMAGAZINE.COM
‘Packs a beautiful punch with loads of savoury polish. Spicy and earthy with loads of rosewater and floral aromas. It’s one of the best dry rosés made in Australia, with sour cherry and strawberry notes, and a tart sherbet taste, packing a bone dry finish.
I am not often want to wax too lyrical about wines that sit in this price bracket but heck, this is hard not to love, a lot. It’s one of the surprises of my summer and perhaps autumn, maybe winter, and definitely spring. Beautifully structured, its a perfect wine for a late afternoon slurp with some charcuterie and someone nice to share it with.’
Would drink it again? My word – and loads of it.’
THE AUSTRALIAN By Max Allen
‘A classic (and good value) example of the pale, dry style now in vogue. Made from the Italian rondinella grape, originally from the Veneto, grown in the Hilltops region of NSW, it’s barely a rose colour at all in the glass — just the palest hint of copper, really — with lovely gentle floral aromas and is savoury, creamy and refreshingly dry on the tongue. Drink with antipasto, something salty like anchovy fritters.’
WINEFRONT By Campbell Mattinson
‘Massive drinkability to be tucked into here…. Spices, earth, sweet berries, rosewater. Snappy and suede-like at once. Ripper to drink. Ever so juicy.’
91 POINTS
DELICIOUS MAGAZINE By Mike Bennie
‘…a bolshie rosé of jubey fruit, bustling spice and a fine dry finish.…’
GOURMET TRAVELLER WINE MAGAZINE By Max Allen
BEST BUY $20 & UNDER
‘The rather gorgeously named rondinella grape variety (it translates as little swallow)…sings a very pretty solo as a very pale beautifully dry rosé: tangy and creamy thanks to lees-stirring in barrel. I’m not sure about the ‘little swallow’ bit though: I found myself taking huge gulps when I tried it.’
