Waterford Estate, Stellenbosch, Rose-Mary

Achingly gorgeous wine, this is a relative newcomer to the range made in Waterford Estate in Stellenbosch. Famed for powerful reds and elegant white, you can understand some reticence to the idea of a wine that might fall between stools; however, this is really great winemaking by any measure and though it's a year-round wine, its presence will definitely improve the summer months. Infinitely.

Made from a generic filed-blend of red grapes, the winery don't actually classify it as a rose, rather a "Blanc de Noirs", or "white from red". While it's possible that they're trying very hard at marketing bluff and we could be forgiving to them, a little, this wine is very definitely pink.

Whole-bunch pressed, the quality of winekaing and the grapes going into the juice is absolutely first-rate. The vineyards are planted with Mediterranean varieties and the natural acidity of these, with the delicate handling in the winery, create a smooth mouth-feel and retain the mineral and fresh character that so many rosés try to achieve. Flavours of red berries and citrus again, but with more integration than in lesser wines, this is a real wake-up call to show us how excellent wine can also be rosé.