Recently purchased by Australian wine giant Southcorp (owner of
Penfolds, Lindemans, Wynns et al), Rosemount has been one of the great
success stories of Australian wine. Producing a well marketed range of
branded wines, impeccably made and with a strong brand image, they
have successfully managed to sell them at higher price points than
most of their peers, thus increasing profitability. Although they are
historically based in the upper Hunter Valley, relatively little of
their wine actually comes from here; most is made from bought in
grapes from a range of different vineyard areas across south eastern
Australia.
I recently tried the complete range; I'm writing them up here in
two more-easily digested parts (see Part
II, the premium wines). First, the core of the range, which
consists of the familiar 'split label' blends and 'diamond label'
premium varietal wines. What can I say about these? They are
faultlessly made, and designed to appeal to a wide audience, and
although I'd enjoy drinking most of these at social gatherings --
particularly the tasty Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet -- they are not
really wines that are aimed at serious wine nuts. However, for those
looking for reliable, enjoyable drinking -- perhaps the majority of
consumers?-- these wines may be just the ticket. My only gripe
concerns the prices. At regular retail (£6.99- £7.99, depending on
the wine), they are a little on the expensive side, and for this money
you can often find a more interesting alternative. But with
Rosemount's regular discounting (you don't have to wait long for the
next Rosemount special offer in the major outlets), most of these
wines can be found at more appealing prices.
'Split label' blends
Semillon Chardonnay 2000
Some of the Chardonnay was given a brief spell in oak, otherwise
this is all tank fermented and made in an easy drinking style. The
citrussy nose has a touch of tropical fruit. It's quite rich on the
palate, but retains some freshness. Good commercial winemaking. Very
good
GTR 2000
A blend of Gewürztraminer and Riesling, made in an off-dry style.
Granny's favourite? An aromatic, expressive nose has some spicy notes.
The palate is medium sweet and quite rich, but has enough acidity to
keep things from becoming cloying. Possibly worth trying with spicy
Asian food? Good/very good
Grenache Shiraz 2000
Amazingly fruity nose of bright raspberries and cherries carries
through to the palate. The primary fruit character dominates, but
there's a touch of spice on the finish. This is a light, fruity
glugger that's definitely not meant to be taken too seriously. Very
good
Shiraz Cabernet 2000
The rounded nose shows sweet, ripe berry fruits. The palate is
sweetly fruited, with a juicy character, good acidity and a soft
finish. A little more serious than the Grenache/Shiraz, but still good
fun. Very good
Cabernet Merlot 2000
Lovely forward nose of berry fruit and blackcurrants. The palate
is ripe and full, with sweet fruit and a touch of tannin on the soft
finish. Very good
'Diamond label' premium varietals
Semillon 2000
I was a bit underwhelmed by this wine. There's a crisp lemony nose,
and the palate is dominated by citrussy fruit and high acidity. It's
quite food friendly with all the acidity; perhaps it will develop a
bit of complexity with a year or two in the bottle. Good/very good
Chardonnay 2000
Textbook stuff, made with fruit from the Hunter Valley, McLaren
Vale and the Murray River. There's rich tropical fruit with undelying
toasty nuttiness from the oak. The fresh acidity gives balance to the
rich, rounded fruit. Very good+
Sauvignon Blanc 2000
Using grapes from the Hunter Valley and Adelaide Hills, Rosemount
have fashioned a nice cool-climate expression of this grape. The
varietally true nose shows gooseberry and grapefruit character, and
the palate is crisp and taut. Very good
Shiraz 2000
Fruit sourced from Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Mudgee;
matured for 8 months in American oak. The enticing, sweet nose shows
rich, sweet, spicy berry fruit. The palate is sexy and full, with a
rich, spicy character: it manages to be both savoury and sweet at the
same time. A real crowd-pleaser. Very good+
Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
Fruit from Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Mudgee; 9 months in
oak. Characterful and approachable. Lovely forward nose with
blackcurrant fruit, a pleasant leafiness and some medicinal notes.
There's a touch of spice on the palate, which is rich and full, with
some fine-grained tannins. Attractive. Very good+
Merlot 1999
Fruit from McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Mudgee and Orange;
spends 11 months in French and American oak. A lighter red colour. Red
berry fruit with a leafy, herby edge. The palate shows soft, savoury
plummy fruit with some spice from the oak. Quite a rich style. Very
good