It is arguably the South Coast's most popular local wine.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And usually sells out within months of each vintage arriving back from the winemakers at Tyrrell's.
Well there is some good news for Shoalhaven Coast wine enthusiasts in 2020 following a summer of fires that halted or dramatically reduced many harvests for fear of smoke tainting.
When Greg Bishop, of Coolangatta Estate, was told by the winemakers at Tyrrell's that the Rosé Frizzante would still be okay because of the high sugar content in the grapes, he decided to pick more grapes than ever before.
Which means the low alcohol, slightly bubbly style of wine that is particularly popular at weddings and family gatherings is in plentiful supply.
The 2020 vintage has just come back from Tyrrell's and with 330 cases there is 20 per cent more at the cellar door, according to Mr Bishop.
Which means fewer fans of the Rosé Frizzante will miss out before it all walks off the cellar door as it does every year.
Mr Bishop said they knew immediately they were onto something good when they first made a frizzante six years ago.
"The response was pretty full on in the first year. That was a Savagnin Frizzante in 2014," he said.
"Then we started making it with Chambourcin and Tannat before Cabernet became a big part of it. Now we have leaned more towards Tannat which seems to be working really well. And we put some Tempranillo in it for the first time this year.
"The 2020 Rosé Frizzante has been the biggest seller with walk-ins to the cellar during COVID-19".
Mr Bishop said the latest vintage was lighter in colour because to reduce any chance of smoke tainting Tyrrell's immediately removed the skins from the grapes.
"They treated it more like a white wine. And I like the pink colour," he said.
"The winemakers didn't see any tainting in the wine and I can't taste anything. The 2020 Rosé Frizzante has come out really clean".
Tyrrell's also suggested Coolangatta do a sweet white wine this year and the 12 Convicts is being bottled this week.
The other good news recently is the 2010 Savagnin has just been awarded the gold medallion in the Other White Varieties and Blends category at the WineWise Championships.
"They bill it as the best of the best," Mr Bishop said.
"You actually get invited to participate. You have had to have won a gold medal at one of Australia's top wine shows. And we were invited to enter four wines in it".
Dr Richard Smart suggested Coolangatta plant the variety more than a decade ago and it has performed really well at wine shows along with the Semillon, Tannat and Riesling.
"It's a fabulous variety," Mrs Bishop said.
"To me it is really similar to Riesling in a lot of ways. It has a different flavour profile but the line and length and texture makes it so beautiful to drink".
Cellar door manager Ben Bishop said the Savagnin was the second biggest seller behind the Rosé Frizzante during the coronavirus crisis.
Wine lovers have not been able to do wine tastings at Coolangatta Estate since late March but have still been able to call in and buy the wine.
Alexander's Restaurant has not traded since social distancing restrictions came in and will not open again until they ease further.
Greg Bishop said it was not viable to do that for just 10 people.
He said when travel restrictions ease that is when business will really begin returning to normal at Coolangatta Estate.
Mr Bishop said JobKeeper had helped the business retain its valued workforce and they will be ready to greet locals and visitors again when things begin returning to normal.
And it is likely to be all hands on deck in two years time when the historic Coolangatta Village and buildings such as The Great Hall turn 200 years old.
The Bishops are planning a big celebration for the anniversary and are hoping COVID-19 is a distant memory in June, 2022.
Read more:
- Coolangatta Estate wins Australia's only trophy in the Six Nations Wine Challenge
- Record time for 2018 wine harvest at Coolangatta Estate
- 30 years of wine is celebrated at Coolangatta Estate over the June long weekend in 2019
- How Coolangatta Estate's Bishop family celebrated the 50th annual Christmas lunch of local festive food and wine with 280 people
- How some of the best wines in Australia are being made on the NSW South Coast
- Australia's Semillon of the Year produced from grapes grown locally at Shoalhaven Heads
- The man who saved an important piece of Australian history on the South Coast remembered for his great legacy
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.