The 2024 Emmalene Sparkling Pinot Rosé is a dry sparkling wine from the Adelaide Hills made from pinot grapes, finished with the pale colour and delicacy typical of the region's cooler vineyards.

Strawberry and red currant lead the nose, with a faint rose-petal perfume adding lift rather than sweetness, and a light citrus zest note keeping things from feeling too soft. The bubbles are fine, and that same red-fruit character carries through a genuinely dry, crisp palate.

Acidity is bright throughout, giving the wine energy and length without ever feeling heavy, and the finish stays dry right to the end. There's a faint savoury edge on the last sip that stops it tipping into anything confected, and the pale blush colour hints at the restraint before you've even reached the glass.

It's an aperitif wine first: pour it before dinner with charcuterie, or alongside sushi and other raw seafood where its acidity and delicate fruit have plenty of room to work.

Drink it young, over the next year or two, while the fruit is at its freshest and most vivid.