SMELL THE ROSÉS – IT’S BBQ TIME

ROSÉ is one of those great summer-time wines that come to the fore
with outdoors entertaining: stick it on the ice and it’ll go equally
as well with lamb chops or seafood off the barbecue, as it will with
chicken or prawn salads.

Beelgara, one of our top twenty wine producers with enviable exports
to over fifteen countries, consistently produces a great Rosé from its
base in the NSW Riverina – which is probably little wonder considering
its 70-odd year’s heritage in an area of such dominant Italian
influence.

The 2007 Winemakers Selection Rosé came from an unusual vintage for
Beelgara and others in the Riverina, because while crop size was well
down due to the drought, the harvested fruit was some of the best in
ten years.

This Rosé shines out of the bottle a brilliant rose petal pink in
colour with violet tinges, and has lovely aromas of strawberries and
cream and fresh raspberries, while the palate is loaded with
mouth-filling honeydew, raspberries and spice.

Well priced at just $14.99, it’s one to enjoy with anything from BBQ’d
salmon or chicken to more adventurous char-seared lamb chops basted
with roasted-garlic juice infused with diced parsley – or simply with
tempura seafood salad.

OUT OF THE BOX: CHARDONNAY fans who enjoy this variety with a bit of
bottle age, should grab the recently-released Annie’s Lane 2007
Chardonnay.

At $19.99 this is a nice crisp drop from the Clare Valley, with good
varietal peach and melon flavours, hints of fig, and oak characters
that give it great complexity. Excellent drinking now, it’ll develop
up to three years in the cellar.

If you can’t wait, team it with Mediterranean chicken cooked in olive
oil, white wine, onions, tomato, thyme and basil; sprinkle at the last
minute with diced kalamata olives and chopped parsley, and serve with
couscous salad.

(David Ellis’ wine columns are archived on http://vintnews.com)

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PHOTO CAPTIONS: A ROSÉ for barbied chops or tempura seafood from

the Riverina’s Beelgara.

ONE for the cellar, or enjoy
Annie’s Lane 2007

Chardonnay now with Mediterranean Chicken.