A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines Secateurs Swartland Rosé 2019
Contrary to what this photo implies, I am actually working. But I had to take advantage of the sunny weather...one more rosé to celebrate the last of the summery weather.
It's Day One of our 21 day Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa. One of the regulations that was revealed 3 days before the start of the lockdown was that no alcohol could be sold during the 21 day period. Needless to say, there was much panicked purchasing of alcohol, with queues outside all the liquor stores. I mostly avoided this with a serendipitous delivery from one of my favourite winemakers a week prior to the announcement, and a few online orders to support my most frequented wine stores.
But I had an anxious moment the day before lockdown. So I joined the tiny 4 person queue at my closest liquor store and, from a metre distancing, joked about South African priorities with my fellow comrade queuers. My intention was to stock up on Old Fashioned and Negroni ingredients...woman cannot live by wine alone? Sadly, there was neither Campari nor Bourbon left on the shelf. I remembered why I didn't often visit this particular store. There wine selection is really limited too.
And then I spotted a shelf filled with the Secateurs rosé. Either nobody knew what these were, or they'd just been restocked. I grabbed a couple of bottles with glee...queuing outside a booze store had not been in vain!
The Wine:
A pretty pale salmon colour. It’s a bit cold, so right now it’s a medium intensity nose of raspberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, citrus, and some musk.
Dry, light bodied and high acidity. Cherries, unripe plums and lemon peel, with a medium length mineral-like finish.
Vini + Viti:
It seems I’m doomed to pick rosés where I can’t figure out the grapes. But based on previous vintages, there’s some Cinsault in there.
Final Thoughts:
A.A. Badenhorst doesn't need any introduction. The premium wines, in particular the single vineyard range, are phenomenal. But these entry level, bulk produced Secateurs wines are excellent value for money and regularly feature in my recycling.
Tasted on a Fruit Day according to the Biodynamic Calendar for the Southern Hemisphere.
