What says summer better than a glass of ice-cold rosé on a balmy afternoon by the poolside? Better yet if it’s a glass of Babylonstoren’s 2021 Mourvèdre rosé.
This bold, blush rosé with its flirty floral character was on everyone’s lips in London as the official rosé of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. A fitting union, considering how the wine honours the unique Cape floral kingdom in which it was cultivated.
It was the first time in history that the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was held in September, at the end of the European summer and Babylonstoren’s rosé gave it a fitting send-off. With the South African summer ahead, it’s bound to be the tipple of choice on home soil too.
The winemakers at Babylonstoren harvested this year’s Mourvèdre block in February, at the height of the Cape Winelands summer. Thanks to ample winter rain and relatively mild summer temperatures, the 2021 harvest started almost two weeks later than the previous year. Comparatively cooler temperatures also ensured that the grapes ripened slowly, with abundant time for developing flavour. A close eye was kept on the sugar levels, to ensure the blocks were harvested at optimum ripeness.
In the cellar, the wine was kept on the skins for only a few hours to extract the unique colour, reminiscent of a fiery summer sunrise. It’s an elegant, dry wine of a sophisticated salmon colour and delicious hints of raspberries and rose petals.
In the glass, this beguilingly easy-drinking rosé carries a uniquely South African garrigue; Babylonstoren’s home-grown answer to the world-class Mourvèdre wines typically grown in Southern France. A single sip suggests creamy rhubarb, the sweet freshness of watermelon and a subtle punch of acidity. It’s an undoubtedly South African wine with a lovely, floral character and sun-kissed hue that’s best enjoyed in the first 18 months after bottling.