2026 Chaffey Bros Not Your Grandma's Rose, Barossa Valley

Daniel Chaffey Hartwig, Theo Engela and Huon Fechner make wine in the Barossa and Eden Valley the way they'd want to drink it: aromatic, textural, minimal intervention, no fuss. Their Not Your Grandma's Rosé has been quietly building a reputation for over a decade, and the 2025 vintage was named Rosé of the Year by The Real Review. The 2026 is now in bottle and the boys reckon it's right up there.

Old vine Barossa Grenache and Mourvèdre — fruit from vines over 60 years old — picked early to hold freshness and natural acidity. Fermented on solids, unfined, rested on light lees. And then there's the secret: a small addition of Eden Valley Gewürztraminer pressings from their own Düfte Punk field blend. Dan calls it vinous MSG — it lifts the aromatics, adds a layer of texture, and pulls the whole wine forward. The reference is loosely Rhône, where white varieties have long found their way into rosé for exactly this reason.

Pale salmon in the glass with lifted strawberry, pink florals and a whisper of Turkish delight on the nose. The palate is dry and juicy with a clean line of acidity keeping everything bright, a gentle creaminess through the mid-palate and a long, fresh finish. More going on than first impressions suggest.

Cold and soon. Mezze with hummus, grilled halloumi and flatbread, Japanese karaage chicken with kewpie mayo, a simple tomato salad with good olive oil and basil. The wine's dry freshness and aromatic lift make it easy company for almost anything.

Drink now.