Nebbiolo is a variety suited perfectly to rosé. It is light of colour, firm of mouthfeel and juicy of acidity. As importantly, the flavour profile spans the gamut of dried herb, sour cherry and gentle florals. Best, the wines are dry, light to mid-weighted and thirst-slaking. In its spiritual home of the Piedmont, in Italy’s north-east, grapes are simply too expensive for rosé production and are directed to loftier wines including Barolo and Barbaresco. At Bruno & George, Nebbiolo is produced as a style of rosé that provides respite from the powerful reds of the region.
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
