The Story of Rosé
A FEW THOUSAND YEARS AGO
Rosy pinks and sophisticated clinks weren’t always the status quo when it came to the beloved blush quaff.
Rosé had a dark start a few thousand years ago. Its origins trace back to ancient Greece and Rome, where early epicureans experimented with different grape varieties and winemaking techniques.
ENLIGHTENMENT
It wasn’t until the 19th century that rosé had its – quite literal – enlightenment.
It gained popularity in France, particularly in the Provence region, where the slightest tinted pinks became associated with leisurely summertime living.
THE PERFECT TINT
Over time, winemakers refined production methods, utilising specific grape cultivars and controlling maceration times to achieve the desired pale colour and nuanced flavour profiles.
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BABYLONSTOREN’S VERY OWN
Inspired by the mourvèdre rosés of Bandol in Provence, the Babylonstoren winemakers planted a small block of this red wine grape in 2011.
Babylonstoren’s team harvested the first-ever vintage the following summer.
BOLAND GARRIQUE
With the Cape Floristic Kingdom as backdrop, the new Mourvèdre Rosé gained its own unique Boland garrigue.
This red-turned-rosé transcends the typical white or red pairings, combining all the serious qualities of Mourvèdre, but in a lighthearted way.
A MOMENT IN HISTORY
In 2019, the Babylonstoren winemakers were at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as part of a Cape Dutch wine farm installation, showcasing one of the horticultural endeavours of South Africa’s wine valley.
A Person of Particular Stature at the show stepped onto the veranda one morning at 09h00 and shared a sip of rosé . . .
"The rest is history."
THE OFFICIAL ROSÉ
The Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé has been poured ever since as the official rosé of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
In 2024, the latest vintage Mourvèdre Rosé was whisked away by boat for the fourth consecutive year to grace the glasses of socialites at the show.
SEASON OF THE SUN
Like the swallows and swifts*, Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé has become a synonym for summer. Grapes take shape as the first of these birds arrive from the UK in search of the sun. They bask and feed throughout the summer – the birds and the bunches.
Then, the harvest comes at the pinnacle of the season. When the first blush-pink bottles are shipped, the swallows follow, announcing the season of the sun in the northern hemisphere.