2023 Marchand & Burch Villages Rosé

#1 of 42 2023 Rosés from Western Australia – The Real Review

Pale coral-pink colour; subtle aromas of straw, dried flowers and pot-pourri; the delicacy and refinement of the colour and bouquet continue on the palate which is dry and subtle, understated and gently complex—as opposed to fruity, the finish balanced, long and appetising. Excellent rosé.

A pastel pink blush in the glass with flavours that stretch from red jellies to summer berries dusted in spices and beeswax. Yet it’s delicate, too. Not too much of everything with some light creamy lees stretching across the palate while the acidity keeps it all tight. A lovely drink.

A joyful nose: fresh rose petals, hand-picked strawberries, watermelon rind, minerality and white peaches. This rosé provides a lovely dance between savoury tones and a fresh, fragile acidity kept in measure with the texture and fruit weight. A bit creamy, a bit crunchy with a moreish dry finish and layers of texture providing great length. On the palate, a lingering note of peaches and cream lollies with a whiff of spice from measured oak use. Drinkability factor is high, and the pretty pale salmon bottle helps with the Riviera holiday vibe. A bargain for a rosé with plenty going on.

Quite a bit of spritz at the opening, definitely giving this wine a lift and a perception of freshness. Mixed citrus, dried Provencal herbs, ricotta nutty-creaminess, zesty skins, pink grapefruit, red apple. It’s ethereal, dry and savoury, quite light on the flavour front but instead marked by a pleasing mineral tingle. Elegant wine.

This all W.A. wine will make friends and influence people you share it with. Such is the class of its quality. Appealing pomegranate sorbet watermelon aromas with a nod to the classic French style. The palate has texture, creaminess, an appealing middle palate with juicy cranberry red fruit flavours and lingering watermelon and raspberry, with a clean, dry finish. A contemporary style that does well with bbq food. The best rosé from Australia I have ever tasted and a harbinger of changes to come with the relationship to pale colour yet full flavoured and ability to age.

Marchand and Burch Villages Rosé 2023 is a Grenache dominant blend with Pinot and Shiraz balancing it out. The wine perfectly encapsulates how far Australian Rosé has come. Historically Rosé was knocked off quickly by diverting some juice from a batch of red wine before it had picked up much colour from skin contact. Nic selects old vine Grenache from the Swan Valley for fruit flavour, particular clones of Pinot Noir from Great Southern that perform well when picked early and finally Margaret River Shiraz is added for texture and crunch. The wine is pale, a faded pink to orange in colour, with a lovely acid line, red fruits mostly cranberry and some spice. It’s the most ‘Provençal’ in style of the 4 Rosés tasted, reflecting Marchand and Burch’s French influence.