With two decades leading the line, who better to comment on rosés’ current state of play than the godfather, Pete Schell of Spinifex? Domestically speaking, at least. “The evolution of Australian rosés has been epic”, Pete recently told the Halliday Wine Companion, continuing, “Across the board, there has been a very strong shift in the focus of winemakers towards making rosé where freshness, drinkability and compatibility with food are the first-order priorities. At the higher end of the market, Aussie rosés have become increasingly detailed, savoury and textural.” From the very first vintage—a rosé fermented in a single barrel up-ended on its head—to the latest release from 2022, Schell admits that his relationship with rosé has been a love affair, and it’s still going strong. Last year’s Luxe Rosé (2021) was named the winner of the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, Best Rosé of the Year. The good news is Spinifex has plenty more competition these days. The selection of wines in this offer includes the cream of Australian wine talent—from Bondar’s sublimely elegant Grenache-based rosé; to Lambert Wines’ savoury and stony Shiraz; to Garagiste’s mouth-watering and invigorating single vineyard Pinot; and to Murdoch Hill’s lip-smacking ‘Super Tuscan’ blend. And there’s a last chance to take a look at Swinney’s inaugural, showstopping Mourvèdre Rosé, recently described by Huon Hooke as “a super-serious rosé of character and intent”. Talk about putting down a marker. We also offer several cracking new release imports, not least from the Everest of French rosé domaines, Château de Pibarnon. Owner Eric de Saint Victor is a guardian of the traditional, Mourvèdre-rich and gastronomic style of Bandol and never ceases to refine the expression of his wines from his distinctive, highland limestone terroir of La Cadière-d’Azur. The 2021 is a knockout: bell-clear and vital, resonant and vinous without ever jeopardising its elegantly fruited charm. Then there is Pibarnon’s head-turning, savoury masterpiece, Nuances, Saint Victor’s Kozakiewicz’s gesture to what he sees as a trend towards the “watering down” of Bandol rosé (to make them more appealing to the pastel-loving Côtes de Provence market). Did somebody say garlicky Bouillabaisse? Click here to view the full listing.