POSTED: 31 AUGUST 2010

Dominique Portet 2010 Fontaine Rosé

Some people avoid rosé because they see it as having a "girlie" aspect, others because they suspect it will be a bit too sweet for them. While the former viewpoint just smacks of "girlie" immaturity, there is some justification for the latter. Historically, many Australian rosés have been sweeter than they should be, indeed often too sweet to be considered as serious accompaniments to food.

There's no such problem with this done-dry rosé from one of the Yarra Valley's most accomplished and experienced winemakers. It's a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, and the trademark leafiness of cabernet certainly shows through on the bouquet, mingling with the gentle perfumes of rosewater, à la turkish delight.

The palate is tightly focused, with soft fruit flavours offsetting the natural acidity. There's just a slight edge of hardness on the finish, but that dissipates the moment that food is introduced into the equation. And this is definitely a food wine — perfect to accompany olives, salami, sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts as the starter to a languid springtime lunch.

Nothing "girlie" here. Just a completely "adult" wine for both genders to enjoy.

— JOHN ROZENTALS