About
From the famed Rende Vineyard in Blewitt Springs (66% Grenache, 34% Mataro), fermented across concrete sphere, egg and tank. Pink grapefruit, blood orange, fennel, redcurrant — bony texture, very dry. A rosé with architecture, not just a poolside pour.
Rende Vineyard sits on deep sand at the top end of Blewitt Springs, about 14 kilometres from the coast. That sand runs 30 metres down over red ironstone and clay loam, and the old bush vines root straight into it. Sea breeze off the water keeps the site noticeably cooler than lower ground further into McLaren Vale.
Michael Corbett found the vineyard in 2015 and now leases and farms it organically. The ferment splits three ways before blending, then runs through full malolactic to soften the acid without losing grip. Corbett favours restraint over extraction, and the result leans on texture more than fruit weight.
Pull it from the fridge and let it sit five minutes before pouring. Straight-from-the-door cold mutes the texture underneath the fruit. It holds its own next to something off the grill.
Producer note
Vanguardist is Michael Corbett's McLaren Vale label, regarded as one of Australia's leading new-wave Grenache producers. The 2022 rosé is a benchmark for serious Australian rosé.
Structure
Pairs with
Picked on Stef's structure profile.
