THE WORLD LOVES DE BORTOLI’S NEW BELLA RIVA SANGIOVESE ROSÉ
The World Loves Melbourne is mighty partial to rose as a summer drink of choice. Sometimes you don't want that heavy hit of a bold red wine, but want nuances of red to refresh and match with summer dishes. We were stoked to check out the De Bortoli range and receive a set of bocce with the wine delivery!
Made from a famous Italian grape, De Bortoli Wines’ new Bella Riva Sangiovese Rosé from the King Valley, is part of an emerging trend to dry, savoury Rosés that pair beautifully with food.
“There’s probably nothing better than a chilly bottle of dry, savoury Rosé when the sun shines,” says De Bortoli Wines Chief Winemaker Steve Webber. “Pale Rosé made from Sangiovese has a lovely blend of savouriness and texture that matches incredibly well to all sorts of food and is ideal for our climate, casual lifestyle and food scene.”
Leanne De Bortoli, who with husband Steve, is the driving force behind Australia’s ‘Rosé Revolution’, adds: “Sangiovese is a gorgeous Italian red wine that we just love with pasta, but if you’re after something a bit lighter, the Rosé is perfect – it’s lovely on its own or with cured salmon or a light pasta dish.”
The Bella Riva Sangiovese Rosé is the latest addition to De Bortoli’s Bella Riva range, also comprising a mediumbodied Sangiovese that packs a punch with rustic, tannin characteristics lacking in traditional Australian style reds, and another Italian native, a dry, savoury Pinot Grigio for every day enjoyment that features the gentle aromas King Valley whites are known for.
On a hot summers day our neighbours brought across a large antipasto platter and we enjoyed the crisp dry but slightly fruity delightful Bella Riva Pinot Grigio and the Bella Riva Sangiovese Rose (one we liked to "stay"on).
All the while the kids were laughing and playing bocce on our lush lawn; how good was it to be sent a bocce set with our wine!
As we spoke about brilliant times in the King Valley we reflected on the diversity of Italian styles there, and the advent of The Bella Riva Sangiovese as a top wine to have with food...
De Bortoli Bella Riva Sangiovese 2013
Retail $16 ALC/VOL 14%
Sangiovese is the daddy of red wine to wash down wood fired pizza and handmade pasta. The texture, savouriness, tannins, earthiness, dark fruits, dried herbs and florals make it unique and exciting.
Suggested Food Match: Wood fired pizza or Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.
Tasting Note: Robust spicy notes that mingle with aromas of cherries, plums, smoke, liquorice, and rosemary. Mouth filling and elegant with lots of plumpness and texture. The oak perfectly fused in red fruits, wild herbs and savoury tannins.
Technical: Warm dry season ideal for Italian red varieties. Fermented in 14 tonne vats and
matured in older French casks of varying size, the wine sits patiently for 18 months before
racking and bottling.
The wines come from the De Bortoli family’s picturesque Bella Riva vineyard on the King River at the base of the Victorian snowfields. In 1994 they planted mainly to the Italian varieties Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, Moscato and Vermentino.
De Bortoli Bella Riva Pinot Grigio 2015
Retail $16 ALC/VOL 12%
We tend not to take Pinot Grigio too seriously but the King Valley eke out some pretty delicious versions of the variety. Low cropping season giving lovely aromatics and wild herb notes. Fermented in both vat and barrel. Some lees work for texture and creaminess, perky acidity, not too shabby.
Suggested Food Match: Gnocchi with burnt butter and sage.
Tasting Note: Pears, aromatics, wild herb notes, nuttiness and a certain chill factor. Bright flavours with good texture and complexity.
Technical: Grapes are both whole bunch pressed as well as crushed to give a range of phenolics for complexity and texture. The juice is fermented in casks and vats. Lees are stirred regularly until final assembling of the blend.
De Bortoli Bella Riva Sangiovese Rosé 2015
Retail $16 ALC/VOL 13.5%
Probably nothing better than a chilled bottle of dry, savoury Rosé when the sun shines. Pale rosé made from Sangiovese has a lovely blend of savouriness and texture that matches incredibly well to all sorts of food.
Suggested Food Match: Gin cured salmon or seafood risotto.
Tasting Note: Classic ‘partridge eye’ rosé colour. Red fruits, smells savoury and exciting, nougat, aromatic. Gentle flavours, morello cherry, soft acidity, creamy and a bit too easy. Drink now!
Technical: Near perfect growing conditions, warm season, dry autumn and timely rainfall.
70% of the blend grown and pressed for texture and flavour. 30% is run off Sangiovese red ferments for aromatics and perfume. The juice is fermented naturally in both cask and vats. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation on lees until final assembling of the blend.
