Crawford River Rosé 2023

Like every wine this gem of a winery makes in and around tiny Henty in far-flung western Victoria, its newest rosé is an absolute cracker.

Australia's climate is well suited to drinking lots of rosés and there's bucket loads of it out there. Much of it is plain, even simplistic, often a touch too sweet or lacking varietal character.

Crawford River's rosé is primarily made from Pinot Gris with a bit of Sémillon.

The fruit is allowed enough skin contact to bless it with an attractive pale pink colour and enough oomph to mark a memorably excellent rosé.

Rarely have we enjoyed a rosé quite as much as we fell head over heels for this one. 

There's enticing whiffs of apple blossom, meadow flowers and macerated strawberries.

A long finish indicates accomplished wine-making technique.

With an entrée of chilled poached mussels Thai style, you'd have a kind of food-orgasm.

A best quality ham sandwich with lots of sweet butter and a schmeer of Dijon mustard would make you groan with pleasure.

Fried rice with chicken, soy and oyster sauces, garlic, ginger, chilli and bok choy? Oh, bring it.

Linguine with prawns and pesto?

Feed me baby.

Moroccan goat tagine with cous-cous?

Take me to the kasbah!

Whole snapper stuffed with lemon butter, a fistful of mixed green herbs, a bit of garlic and breadcrumbs wrapped in foil and gently cooked on the barbecue?

We're all yours!

You get the picture.