2025 Nick Spencer Sangiovese Rose, Gundagai

A pale pink-bronze blush. This comes laden with spices, watermelon and barely ripe strawberries. There’s a slip of texture, sweetness and fleshiness on the palate. But what makes this enticing is the crunchy acidity from the sangiovese, ensuring the finish is lively and fresh.

93 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Nick Spencer Sangiovese Rosé from Gundagai is a vibrant, savoury, and beautifully sculpted wine that shows just how well this Italian variety thrives in the cool, elevated landscapes of southern New South Wales. Nick Spencer is known for his precise and contemporary winemaking, drawing on his deep regional knowledge to create wines that are bright, pure, and full of character. This rosé is one of his most expressive releases, offering both freshness and textural depth.

The fruit comes from Gundagai vineyards planted on decomposed granite and shale, soils that naturally limit vigour and concentrate flavour. Sangiovese is picked early to retain acidity and delicate aromatics, then gently pressed to achieve its pale colour. Fermentation in stainless steel preserves purity, while a short time on lees adds subtle roundness.

In the glass it shows a soft pale salmon hue. The aroma is lifted and inviting, offering sour cherry, redcurrant, blood orange, and rose petal with a hint of savoury spice. The palate is dry and crisp with Sangiovese’s classic fine acidity, delivering flavours of red berries, citrus, and herbs wrapped in a gently chalky texture. The finish is clean, refreshing, and lightly savoury, making it wonderfully food friendly.

It pairs beautifully with antipasti, grilled prawns, salads with tomato or fennel, or roast chicken. Enjoy it now for its brightness and charm, though it will hold well for a couple of years.