2024 Dr Edge Rosa Rosa Rosa $40

09/15/2025

Clever bloke that Peter Dredge. Deep thinker. Witty too. Sometimes it's hard to tell which mode he's in. Evidently, this 95 percent:5 percent blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir was inspired by an all-day wine bar on the Hobart Waterfront owned by Lauren Benson – Rosie in my Midnight Dreams.

It could just as easily come from listening to a song aired in a 2016 episode of the US comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine: "Rosa, Rosa, Rosa/Rosa, Rosa/The girl I want, the girl I need."

This is the Rosa you want, this is the Rosa you need this spring and summer. It's a ripper. Depth of colour, plenty of aromatics, great flavours with fabulous texture – they're all front and centre. (As in Dr Edge's Tyrannosaurus dREDge, a dash of Pinot Noir is in there for extra roar.)

Pinot Meunier has been something of a whipping boy in Champagne – except for the Marne Valley, where it's been an industry saviour due to its late budburst. In Australia, it's done little better, except in the hands of Best's in Great Western who make astonishingly good dry reds from it. Old Vines Pinot Meunier is awesome. Young Vines is very smart.

Elsewhere, the whipping boy is turning comeback kid. And with good reason. When the care and attention – including modest yields – given to it match that of its cool climate Pinot Noir sibling, the results can be pretty impressive.

Dr Edge's Rosa Rosa Rosa is a case in point. The wine has surprising grunt given its 11.5% alcohol. It's practically voluptuous, yet finishes dry and savoury. Good stuff.

Source: Retail purchase