2024 Rosily Shiraz, Margaret River

Rosily Vineyard is a 12-hectare site located in the northern Wilyabrup sub-region of the Margaret River and named after a French cartographer involved in the French explorations of Western Australia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The first vines were planted in 1995 using cuttings from the Moss Wood vineyard, and the site has been certified organic since 2019. The soil types vary across the sloping property from deep gravelly loams to lighter sandy soils over a clay base, with twelve varieties matched to the soil and the style of wine sought. Vineyard manager Sam Castleden knows each one intimately, as he planted the first ones.

Sam’s annual work is brought to the bottle by long term winemaker Mike Lemmes, who after a few years of brewing ciders returned to Rosily in time for the 2023 vintage. All wines are made from estate grown fruit.

Margaret River experienced its driest and warmest growing season of all time in 2024. While yields were slightly down, the quality of fruit was good. Rosily’s Shiraz grapes were destemmed, crushed and allowed to cold-soak overnight before being inoculated with a select strain of organic yeast. The wine was pressed off skins at dryness and left to settle on rough lees for two days ahead of maturation in a mix of new and seasoned French oak for 10 months.

The wine opens with lifted, red-fruited aromas and light notes of sweet cinnamon-like spice. Medium to full-bodied with juicy flavours of red and black fruit with cedar spice and textured tannins.

Will show well with a bit of additional time in the bottle. Give the wine plenty of air if patience is not your virtue. Bold flavours work well here: BBQ Bulgogi, lamb souvlaki or a mushroom and pepperoni pizza.