The estate is owned by Northern Ireland couple Charles and Ruth Simpson. They first created this wine in the 2003 vintage as a one-off, but due to the cult following this wine now enjoys we continue with it to this day. This branded Roussanne put Sainte Rose on the map. A hugely successful barrel fermented and barrel aged white wine that oozes complexity and elegance. At Sainte Rose we love this Rhone Valley grape variety and have worked hard to promote its use as a single varietal.

The roussanne grapes that produced this wine were picked during the night in order to protect the fruit from the extreme heat of the day. This wine underwent fermentation and ageing in French oak barrels with frequent stirring of the lees to create a rich, complex, full-bodied roussanne with good acidity and a luxurious and extremely long finish. The wine presents as an exotic mix of fruit and spice. The freshness of the fruit provides hints of melon and the barrel ageing creates vanilla notes and a smoky richness. We suggest drinking this wine with creamy chicken or pasta dishes and with seafood.

"Barrel fermented, 20% new oak. The oak is evident on the nose but does not overwhelm the classic almondy aroma of Roussanne. The sample is warm, but there's a deep, fresh, cedary quince quality here and at a lower temperature it would be much more enjoyable. Long and powerful. 16.5/20 points."
(Julia Harding, JR Purple Pages, Sept 2015)