Winemaker Notes
Pink Billy is our show girl Rose. The name came from frustrating beginnings, when Billy kept demanding attention during ferment, things just went wrong - however she always showed up better for the experience and was christened Pink Billy.
Pink Billy is a team effort between Scott (viticulturist), Jo (winemaker) and myself (Philip Shaw); the resultant wine is a very serious yet unforgettable example of what this style should be. At its best Rose is powerful of flavour and bright of fruit, without any distinctive varietals.
Philip has been making wine in Australia for more than 4 decades and approaches each aspect of winemaking with a healthy mix of innovation and unrelenting quality standards. He steps out with conviction and carves his own way, a new way, time and time again. He has pioneered dozens of popular Australian wines during his career and is renowned for his commitment to advancing Australian wines through relentless testing of varietal and clonal suitability for optimum site selection, winemaking innovation, and ultimately, crafting modern, vibrant, and high-quality wines.
A large, climatically diverse country with incredibly diverse terrain, producing just about every wine style imaginable, Australia has a grand winemaking history and some of the oldest vines on the planet. Both red wine and white wine from Australian are wildly popular and beloved. Most of Australia's wine regions are concentrated in the south of the country with those inland experiencing warm, dry conditions and those in coastal areas receiving tropical, maritime or Mediterranean weather patterns. Australia has for several decades been at the forefront of winemaking technology and has widely adopted the use of screwcaps, even for some premium and ultra-premium bottles. Thanks to the country’s relatively agreeable climate throughout and the openness of its people, experimentation is common and ongoing.
Shiraz is indeed Australia’s most celebrated and widely planted variety; Barossa Valley leads the way, producing exceptionally bold and supple versions. Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia's second most planted variety, can be blended with Shiraz but also shines on its own particularly in Coonawarra and Margaret River. Grenache and Mourvèdre are also popular, both on their own and alongside Shiraz in Rhône Blends. Chardonnay is common throughout the country and made in a wide range of styles. Sauvignon Blanc has recently surged in popularity to compete with New Zealand’s distinctive version and Semillon is often blended in Margaret River or shines on its own in the Hunter Valley. Riesling thrives in the cool-climate Clare and Eden Valleys. Sticky-sweet fortified wine Rutherglen is a beloved regional specialty of Victoria.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.