Wine of the Week - Waterford Rose-Mary 2022

In collaboration with wine.co.za we would like to introduce the wine of the week: Waterford Rose-Mary Rosé 2022.

Waterford Estate is situated in the Blaauwklippen Valley on the rolling slopes of the Helderberg Mountain within the world-renowned Stellenbosch region. It is this mountain range that gives the Waterford Estate wines their unique character and sense of place. The estate has been operating since 1998 and is proudly owned by the Ord family. The name Waterford is a combination of the Ord surname as well as the waterfalls from the mountains that surround the estate.

Their cellarmaster Mark Le Roux and assistant winemaker Jamie Papenfus pride themselves in making fine wine from carefully selected grapes. Their viticulturist, David van Schalkwyk, takes good care of the vineyards.

The Waterford Rose-Mary Rosé, a crowd favourite and the perfect summer sipper is a wine showing this respect for the past with a foot planted in the future. It is affectionately named after Jeremy Ord’s late mother, whose personality was always light and refreshing. This wine, a Blanc de Noir rosé, harmoniously blends the Mediterranean varieties of Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Malbec, Tempranillo, Cinsault, and Sangiovese.

With eleven red grape varietals to choose from, the Waterford Estate cellar team specifically chose to use Mediterranean varietals for the Rose-Mary. This is a testament to the team’s understanding of their varieties. By utilising these cultivars, the wine shows a vibrant fruit profile and fresh acidity serving to balance the palate.

The wine is characterised by a blush, almost rose gold hue, and a delightful nose of delicate apricot, fresh cherry, white floral, and citrus blossom, with hints of fresh oregano. The palate is invitingly fresh with naartjie, apricot and young nectarine flavours following through to a long aftertaste.

The winemaking process of the Rose-Mary involves whole-bunch pressing, a technique that plays a crucial role in shaping the wine’s unique characteristics. Whole-bunch pressing involves pressing the grape bunches without destemming, resulting in the extraction of juice from the entire grape bunch, including stems. This technique gives the wine an integrated structure and texture, contributing to the delicate yet intricate mouthfeel and a well-balanced finish.

The result is a wine that captures the essence of southern Provence rosés, characterised by their low alcohol content, making it an approachable and easy-drinking choice for all wine enthusiasts. The Waterford Rose-Mary 2022 contains only 10.9% alcohol.

This blush delight pairs perfectly with a homemade charcuterie board shared with your closest friends. The subtle notes of strawberry and apricot serve to balance the fresh acidity of the wine leaving you with a wine that’ll have you craving another bottle.