South African Rosé Wines – My Top 10

Over the past few months have been sipping my way through some fantastic South African Rosé Wines. Tough job I know! I am now excited to share my Top 10 South African Rosé Wines with you.

South African Rosé Wine

If you are a wine lover and more specifically love South African Wine, you may also want to read Top South African Wine Summer 2017 as well as Affordable Reds Under R100.

Rosé has become increasingly popular both locally and internationally, making it one of the fastest-growing categories of wine worldwide. It also happens to be a favourite of mine especially in summer but I will drink it year-round. Rosé is a versatile style of wine, which pairs well with most food. It is perfect to serve at an alfresco lunch, a dinner party, a relaxed picnic or even a braai. Also to clarify just because it is pink does not mean it is only for the ladies!

My selection of Top South African Rosé Wines 2018 includes a few of my favourites, as well as recommendations from fellow wine lovers. Included in my write-up are my thoughts on the wine, as well as the winemaker’s notes. The majority of the wines featured are affordable yet still premium South African Wines.

Types of Rosé

I prefer a dry style of Rosé, but there is something for everyone varying from bold, savoury styles to more fruit-forward wines. The pink hue associated with Rosé is due to “skin contact”. Red grapes are juiced and then soaked with the skins for a short period of time, usually a few days, this is known as maceration. The longer the maceration, the darker the colour of the wine. The varietal used to produce the wine can also play a part in the colour intensity.

There are a few different styles of Rosé, and among my favourites are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Provence and the drier, the better.

Weltevrede Turkish Delight

The Weltevrede Turkish Delight is what I would term a fruit-forward wine. It is semi-sweet, so not something I would usually choose but if you do like your wine a bit sweeter, I can highly recommend it. It is a blend of Gewurztraminer, with a small dash of Shiraz. On the nose, you can expect litchi, rose petals and the sweet scent of candyfloss. This light summery wine delivers litchi, strawberry and naturally Turkish Delight on the palate. RRP R60 available from Weltevrede.

The Perlé de Jean Pinot Grigio 2018

The Perlé de Jean Pinot Grigio is a dry, slightly sparkling wine, with an alcohol content of only 12%. The nose is fresh with notes of raspberries, strawberries, red currant, and a hint of citrus. It delivers juicy red fruit on the palate and the unique Perlé style gives the wine a slight fizz, which adds a zingy freshness. RRP R69.99 is available from Van Loveren.

Delheim Pinotage Róse 2018

The Delheim Pinotage Róse is a vibrant shade of pink. The nose starts off fruity with an almost candy-like sweetness, giving way to sharper notes of pomegranate and cranberry. The palate delivers red berry fruit and slight acidity, which helps balance the overriding fruitness of the wine. If you prefer a “bone-dry” style of Róse, then this wine is not that, although at the same time it is not overly sweet. This vegan-friendly wine features a splash of Muscat de Frontignan (3.5%), which balances the crisp acidity and red berry sweetness with a juicy fruit character and adds to the vibrant perfume character of the wine. RRP R75.00 available from leading wine retailers, as well as directly from the farm.

Windfall Grenache Rosé

The Windfall Grenache Rosé is an excellent example of this style of Rosé, it is fruity but not overly sweet, with fresh acidity. The palate delivers strawberry and pomegranate, with a hint of sweet-melon, the perfect wine for summer. RRP R70.00 available from Windfall.

Vondeling Rosé 2018

Made from predominantly Merlot grapes, the Vondeling Rosé is a delicate, salmon pink colour. You can expect notes of Turkish delight, raspberry coulis, passion fruit and litchi on the nose. The palate is well rounded, packed with juicy red berry flavours, floral notes and a refreshing hint of citrus. In my opinion, this wine is a great food wine and pairs particularly well with seafood. The Vondeling Rosé is a Double Gold Medal Winner, in the Rosé Rocks Still Wine Category. RRP R 75.00 available from Vondeling and various retail outlets.

Backsberg Pinotage Rosé 2018

You may recall a review that I did on the Backsberg Pinotage Rosé 2017 vintage, which I loved. Both the 2017 and 2018 vintages are Double Gold Medal Winners in Rosé Rocks Competition, which is well deserved. The Backsberg Pinotage Rosé is low in tannins and delivers bright red fruit flavours on the palate, with a slight hint of minty freshness. It is incredibly quaffable and at R59.00 per bottle, excellent value for money. Available from Backsberg and various retail outlets.

Backsberg Rosé 2017

The Backsberg Rose is a blend of Pinotage and Grenache, it is lower in alcohol at 11,5%, as well as being naturally sweet. Subtle flavours of pink candyfloss and fresh strawberry are carried through from nose to palate. A gentle balance between fruit and well-integrated acidity yields an elegant, summery wine. RRP R42.00.

De Grendel Rosé 2018

I have always loved the De Grendel Rosé, and this vintage is particularly delicious. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage, with a lovely perfume on the nose. You can expect hints of citrus, giving way to the heady scents of Turkish Delight and sweet notes of candy floss. One of the things I love about this wine is that it is fruity but still has a wonderfully zesty dryness on the palate. This is yet another great wine to pair with seafood, as well as a lightly spiced curry. RRP R70.00 available from De Grendel and various retail outlets.

Steenberg Rosé 2018

You will have seen the Steenberg Rosé feature quite often on my Instagram Feed, and if you try it, you will understand why. The Steenberg Ruby Rosé is a blend of Syrah and Cinsault, with notes of watermelon, spice, raspberry and candied apple on the nose. You can expect a wonderful freshness on the palate, with stone fruit flavours from the Cinsault and a hint of spice from the Syrah. It is bottled exclusively for Woolworths under the label above or you will find the Steenberg Ruby Rosé, available from the estate and other liquor retailers. RRP R69.99 {this is the current retail price from the Woolworths online store}

Benguela Cove Lighthouse Collection Dry Rosé 2018

The Lighthouse Collection Dry Rosé 2018, made in the Provence style, is dry but has a great fruit balance, with a distinctive floral bouquet. It is a blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Viognier, delivering juicy watermelon, candyfloss and red berry fruit flavour. Again this wine is the style of rosé that I enjoy, as it is crisp and dry with great natural acidity. RRP R110.00 available from Benguela Cove.

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There are so many amazing South African Rosé Wines available and these are a few of my favourites. I would love to know if there any you think should be added to the list. Please share your favourites in the comment section below.

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