By Andy Young
Jacob's Creek has jumped on the growing demand for rosé wine with the release of two new wines in the style.
Rosé is the fastest growing wine style in Australia according to IRI sales data, which shows 20 per cent growth in the category over the past 12 months. Earlier this year Peter Nixon, the head of the Dan Murphy's wine panel, told TheShout that he believes dry, pale rosé wines could be "the next big thing after Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc".
The two rosé wines from Jacob's Creek will be split between the on- and off-premise.
Le Petit Rosé is the off-premise offering and is made in the French Provencal style, from a blend of Pinot Noir, Grenache and Mataro. It is described as "crisp, dry and elegant with a chalky acidity and appealing salmon hue". The wine is ready to drink now and is recommended to have with pavlova or crisp pork belly.
The Jacob's Creek Barosé is made exclusively for the on-premise trade and is made predominately from Barossa Grenache which leads the wine "to a more structured style, with a fuller palate weight". The taste is described as "textural, well-rounded and fruit driven, thanks to Grenache grapes" and again the wine is ready for drinking now. This is also described as a "versatile" wine, which is well paired with "a rich dish like goat's cheese soufflé, a light salmon mousse or a sweet chocolate bavarois".
Jacob's Creek's chief winemaker, Ben Bryant, said of the new wines: "At Jacob's Creek we want to offer both our on-trade partners and customers a completely new take on rosé to appeal to evolving palates."
Both wines are now available in the Australian market.