Cuvée d’Élevage Sparkling Rosé NV

Tasting Notes 🍇

• Colour: A delicate pale coral hue, capturing the essence of its light and refreshing style.
• Aromatics: Vibrant lime, spice, and raspberry, with a clean, fresh autolysis character adding complexity.
• Palate: Rich, soft, and generous with flavours of cherry, subtle watermelon, and red fruits. A fine, lingering acidity balances the generous mouthfeel, creating a refreshing finish.
• Finish: Clean, crisp, and lingering, with a seamless balance of textures and flavours.

Winemaking Process

• Grape Variety: 99% Merlot (with a touch of Savy Blanc)
• Region: Margaret River, WA
• Vintage: Non-Vintage
• Alcohol: 11.6% v/v
• TA: 7.2 g/L
• pH: 3.0
• Winemaking Details:
  • Grapes were picked in the cool of the morning and immediately whole-bunch pressed to minimise colour extraction.
  • The juice was fermented cool with Zymaflore Spark yeast, ideal for base wines.
  • After fermentation, the wine was racked, fined with bentonite, cold stabilized, and tiraged for secondary fermentation.
  • The result is a sparkling wine with a delicate texture and vibrant, refreshing flavours.

Storage & Serving Tips ❄️

• Serving Temperature: Best served chilled at 6–8°C.
  • For the perfect serving temperature, refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving.
• Cellaring Potential: Best enjoyed fresh to capture its lively, vibrant character, but can be cellared for a few years for added complexity.

Food Pairing Suggestions 🍽️

• Antipasto Platters: Pair with fresh cheeses, olives, and cured meats.
• Canapés: Perfect with light seafood or vegetable-based bites.
• Raw Fish: Enjoy with sushi, sashimi, or oysters, where the crisp acidity and delicate flavours enhance the experience.
• Light Appetizers: Excellent with fresh salads or smoked salmon.

FAQ Wine Terms 🧐

❓ What is autolysis in sparkling wines?
Autolysis refers to the breakdown of yeast cells during the second fermentation process, which imparts complex, toasty, and biscuit-like flavours to the wine.

❓ Why does this sparkling rosé have a pale coral hue?
The pale coral hue is a result of the careful whole-bunch pressing of Merlot, minimising the extraction of colour while preserving the fresh, light character of the wine.

❓ What does “Zymaflore Spark” yeast mean?
Zymaflore Spark is a special yeast strain used in sparkling wine production, which enhances the aromatic profile and texture of the base wine, leading to a more refined and elegant sparkling wine.

Learn About Wills Domain

Wills Domain estate sprawls across 20 hectares in the picturesque Gunyulgup Valley within Yallingup, nestled in the renowned Margaret River wine region.

Our vineyards thrive on the sun-kissed northern- and western-facing slopes of Gunyulgup Valley, winding toward the Indian Ocean coast. Benefitting from the ideal maritime climate for grape cultivation, Wills Domain proudly presents its exquisite, handcrafted Margaret River wines, cultivated from two established old-vine vineyards dating back to 1992.

Since their designation as wine merchants by royal appointment in Austria during the 1380s, the Haunold family has maintained their esteemed legacy, now extending to the new world wineries of Australia. Their tradition perseveres in the ancient soils of Western Australia. The tranquil maritime influences, coupled with the site’s elevation and prehistoric red gravel soils, converge to create a vine terroir renowned worldwide.

Darren Haunold founded Wills Domain in 2000, Winemaking is in Darren’s blood, along with a tradition of generous hospitality and deep appreciation of modern Australian gastronomy. Since 1985, the vineyard has gone from strength to strength, and is now a Halliday 5 Red Star-rated Margaret River winery and home to one of Western Australia’s most-awarded regional restaurants.

Chief Winemaker Richard Rowe has over 35 years of winemaking experience and has worked in most premium wine regions in Australia. Internationally, he has completed vintages in France, Germany and South Africa. Richard first came to Margaret River in 2003, as chief winemaker for Evans & Tate, where he oversaw a transformation of winemaking quality and style, winning many Wine Show awards both domestically and internationally. Prior to joining Evans & Tate, he spent 13 years in the Clare Valley, South Australia, with Leasingham Wines and Kirrihill Wines. Richard has been instrumental in helping propel Wills Domain to 5-star Halliday status and rack up high rankings for our different ranges.

Read the latest Ray Jordan Wine Reviews of Wills Domain HERE