Delinquente Pretty Boy Nero d'Avola Rosato 2018
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Nero D'Avola, the famous black grape of Sicily, is just at home in the hot, dry climate of the Riverland as it is in the land of Don Corleone. Made in full bodied Rosato style, this Nero smells of sweet strawberries but is crisp, dry and luscious on the palate. Serve up over ice or straight frown the fridge, and let the wine and the night take you in.
The approach is to focus on sustainable grape varieties that need less water and thrive in the Riverland’s warm, dry climate. They are organically grown, single vineyard fruit, all sourced from a small family vineyard.
This is complemented with a minimal intervention winemaking approach including natural, open ferments and no adds in the winery besides a touch of SO2.
The wines are easy drinking, smashable, silky, elegant and fruit forward wines – but with a hidden, subtle complexity and structure.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
Quite the powerhouse region thanks to its proximity to the Murray River (and thus irrigation potential), Riverland produces over half of South Australia’s total annual harvest. While its warm Mediterranean climate promotes large volume production, many smaller, premium producers abound. Australia’s usual suspects—Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet—do great but a continuing local push for heat-loving Italian varieties like Vermentino and Nero d’Avola promises future diversity.