For the third consecutive year, Babylonstoren’s Mourvèdre Rosé will be the official rosé of the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show, bringing a taste of the Babylonstoren farm and gardens to the world’s greatest gardening event.
Nature and craftsmanship
Set at the foot of the Simonsberg mountain, not far from the picturesque Franschhoek wine valley, Babylonstoren is itself a symbol of the meeting of nature and craftsmanship. The estate’s five-hectare formal fruit and vegetable garden is a unique example of classical, functional landscaping, attracting visitors from all over the world. It opened to the public 12 years ago, when Babylonstoren’s owners transformed the historic Cape Dutch farm into a haven that celebrates, with sophisticated authenticity, the Winelands’ farming community and heritage. With a holistic approach, they have created a place where warm South African spirit permeates every aspect of the visitor experience.
Surrounding the garden, the estate’s Farm Hotel & Spa, Farm Shop and three restaurants all revolve around its ever- changing tapestry and botanical diversity. Wine production is at the core of Babylonstoren’s holistic farm-to- table experience. Recognising the value of the local terroir and its potential to yield fruit of refined concentration and balance, the estate now counts 140 hectares planted to 13 different grape varieties. Led by cellar master Charl Coetzee and winemaker Klaas Stoffberg, the farm’s 2011 harvest produced the first bottling under the Babylonstoren label.
Pink sophistication
Babylonstoren’s Mourvèdre Rosé, the sole pink wine in the estate’s refined range, is a perfect embodiment of what the company stands for: unpretentious elegance, playful hedonism, gastronomic appeal.
Throughout the 2022 season, the Mourvèdre block enjoyed a serene summer – mellow days and a splash of rain towards the end of the growing season ensured a steady, gradual and balanced ripening of the red berries. Following minimal skin contact in the press, fermentation happened in stainless steel tanks for three weeks with one month ageing on the fine lees. The result is a sophisticated yet playful rosé with a beautiful onion-skin hue, assertive acidity, and fresh aromas of rose petals, pomegranate and watermelon. With a lovely, broad presence on the palate, this rosé is a perfect companion for Mediterranean flavours, smoked fish or sushi. The floral nuances will also pair well with light curries and spicy canapés.
This aromatic seductiveness will prove, however, to have its best backdrop in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, an event whose ethos is the very same that inspired the Babylonstoren team in the creation of the Mourvèdre Rosé.
Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé is available from The Newt in Somerset at £16.75
