Back in April, we had some very warm feedback after our very first go at a Sparkling Monday offer, having shifted our gaze to some great work being done outside of Champagne. We're very happy to repeat such a departure today, with today's choice hailing once again from home soils!
Forming a talented winemaking power couple, Reims-born Xavier Bizot's close connection to Champagne Bollinger (his father Christian the former chairman of the house) and Lucy Croser's upbringing in the Adelaide Hills under the guidance of father and viticultural legend Brian, come together as one to form DAOSA. Establishing the label alongside their Terre à Terre still wines back in 2008, the pair lovingly utilise the high elevation of their vines across the Piccadilly Valley, harvesting by hand, vinifying with a mix of both French and modern Australian techniques, and carefully controlling undervine growth, in turn limiting the need for herbicides and allowing for greater evocation of their place. Through this comes a catalogue of sparklings that show a captivating sense of texture, energy and savoury mouthfeel. It's a rather easy thing to say that each DAOSA effort feels redolent of a great Champagne, but looking just a little further, one uncovers a striking brightness and new-world vinosity to these efforts that are all their own. Mimicry is not the end goal by a long shot - they are doing their very own thing.
For this week's Sparkling Monday, we bring forth their Piccadilly Valley Rosé 2022 - among the most superb examples of sparkling ingenuity we've seen out of Australia in the past few years! Topped with a 66% Pinot Meunier dominance, with Pinot Noir following behind at 30% and just a few splashes of Chardonnay, this is a complex kaleidoscope of frisky mineral charm, enveloping red fruits and spritzy tightly-wound acid that builds through the finish to a powerful final statement of white pepper spice and floral tea leaf infusion. It is simply one of those wines where the palate begs for another gulp, such is the wondrous way its full flavour sweeps and seduces. A delightful companion on its own for a hot day ahead, its richness and mid-palate grip will also not go amiss with some fresh shellfish risotto, pork belly, kingfish crudo or your classic oysters.
We mean it earnestly when we say this is a world-class release from Xavier and Lucy; if you've not yet experienced their winemaking flair, this is just about the best starting point one could ask for. On special at great value over the next week!
Pictured on the left stands Brian Croser AO next to friend and like-minded contemporary Christian Bizot in Champagne Bollinger's courtyard in 1983.
And the young boy in the background? That's Xavier Bizot, pictured on the right with wife/Brian's daughter Lucy, who now make up DAOSA and Terre à Terre in the fertile Piccadilly Valley.
DAOSA Piccadilly Valley Rosé 2022
$56 on special this week ($65 RRP)
// 66% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 4% Chardonnay
Aged on full lees for 8 months in old oak, before secondary fermentation/aged in bottle on lees for three years before disgorgement in October 2025
6g/L dosage
"The fruit is sourced from several high-altitude vineyard sites in the Piccadilly Valley, most of them with eastern aspects. All vineyards are on clay soils, with the geological formations mainly Basket Range Sandstone, Woolshed Flat Shale or Barossa Complex. All the vineyards are at a minimum altitude of 500m, and were planted in the 1980s and 1990s." - Winemaker Notes
"This is a delight. Frisky sparkling of great energy, immense character, light savouriness and distinct, expressive mineral charm. A striking saline, briny vein through tart cranberry, rosehip tea, crisp red cherry and dashes of sweet spice, green almond and white pepper. So fragrant; tightly wound fizz with a light, white balsamic zing in tow. Quite focused in its way. So much character here, fine detail in fruit, savouriness, minerality and pristine bubbles. Wonderful stuff." - 96 Points, Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
"Light salmon pink colour. Red cherry, mixed flowers and quince aromatics. Powerful in the mouth, red cherry, cured meat and red spices all fill across the palate. The intensity and complexity is serious here with acidity working well to keep it lifted, with a fine mousse and a brush of tannin completing the framework. Great length: it lingers long with a real vinous character that speaks of pinot noir. Will be a phenomenal match to more powerful dishes." - 96 Points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
"A pale tangelo hue in the glass. Macerated Alpine strawberries, bayberry and rambutans. There is some gala apple skin too and a ruby grapefruit citrus push. A wondrous world of flavour with acidity that pulls the berries back into stone fruit tones. Some gravelly clay and blood orange juice. This is almost spritz-like in that it has all the dimensions for a good time. A very giving wine that would be superb with a saffron and shellfish risotto, but equally delicious on its own." - 95 Points, Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot
If you wish to purchase this sparkling, please use the link above
If you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Special price valid until Monday the 28th of September