The Waterford Rose-Mary 2025 is an elegant, dry rosé crafted in the traditional Provence-inspired Blanc de Noir style. Rather than relying on a single grape variety, Waterford creates Rose-Mary from an unusually complex blend of nine red grape varieties, led by Shiraz and Tempranillo.
The fruit is sourced predominantly from Waterford Estate, with additional grapes selected from vineyards elsewhere in Stellenbosch. The 2025 growing season was characterised by mild summer conditions, cool evenings and a slightly later harvest, allowing for extended ripening while retaining freshness and balanced acidity.
Only around three hours of skin contact is allowed during whole-bunch pressing, producing Rose-Mary's distinctive pale blush colour without extracting excessive tannin. The wine then follows a white-wine-style vinification before spending four months on its fine lees, adding texture and complexity.
The result is a beautifully dry and refreshing rosé combining white peach, strawberry and apricot with delicate floral notes and a long mineral finish.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Delicate pale blush pink, reflecting the short skin contact and Blanc de Noir production method.
Nose: Elegant and aromatic, with white peach and rose water at the forefront. Subtle strawberry, apricot and delicate floral notes emerge with time in the glass.
Palate: Fresh and beautifully balanced. White peach is joined by fresh strawberry and ripe apricot, with bright natural acidity providing lift. Fine-lees maturation contributes subtle texture without sacrificing the wine's light, refreshing character.
Finish: Long, clean and complex, with lingering stone fruit and a refreshing mineral backbone that gives the wine excellent precision and finesse.
Awards & Accolades
The 2025 vintage has already performed extremely well, with several accolades worth highlighting on the product page:
92 Points – Winemag.co.za Rosé Report 2025
Gold – Rosé Wine & Spirit Challenge 2025
WCellar Top 10 South African Wines of 2026
Bronze Medal / 85 Points – Investec Trophy Wine Show 2026
The 92-point Winemag score is particularly impressive for a wine positioned as a fresh, accessible rosé rather than a high-priced collector's wine.
Technical Details
Producer: Waterford Estate
Wine: Rose-Mary
Vintage: 2025
Country: South Africa
Wine of Origin: Western Cape
Style: Dry Rosé / Blanc de Noir
Winemaker: Mark le Roux
Vineyards: Predominantly Waterford Estate with additional Stellenbosch fruit
Pressing: Whole-bunch pressed
Skin Contact: Approximately 3 hours
Maturation: 4 months on fine lees
Alcohol: 12.5% ABV
Residual Sugar: 1.25 g/L
Total Acidity: 6.18 g/L
pH: 3.44
Bottle Size: 750ml
Closure: Screwcap
Ageing Potential: 0–3 years from production
2025 Blend
The Rose-Mary is particularly interesting because Waterford uses a diverse collection of Mediterranean and Bordeaux varieties rather than a conventional rosé blend:
35% Shiraz
20% Tempranillo
13% Malbec
10% Grenache
9% Merlot
7% Cinsaut
4% Mourvèdre
1% Sangiovese
1% Barbera
Delivery within South Africa:
All orders are delivered from our central warehouse located in Montague Gardens, Western Cape. Local orders are usually delivered in 0-2 working days. Orders outside of Cape Town but within SA are generally delivered within 2-5 working days. If you require expedited delivery, we now offer an Express delivery service, which typically takes 1-3 working days, depending on your area.
While we strive for timely deliveries, there are occasional instances where delays may occur. These are rare but can happen due to unforeseen circumstances.
Delivery Rates:
At checkout, you will be presented with delivery options and corresponding rates. These rates are provided directly by our courier partners and are displayed as is. On rare occasions, a courier may generate an incorrect delivery rate due to issues with the address recognition. In such cases, we will arrange for an alternative courier to deliver your order at a similar rate to the original cost.
We believe in offering transparency in our delivery fees and, as such, do not include any delivery costs in our product pricing. We do not profit from delivery fees.
Third-Party Couriers:
For the majority of our orders, we rely on third-party courier services for delivery. Regular notifications will be sent and on the day of delivery the couriers will notify you via sms, call or email . If the courier is unable to reach you, we will get in touch with you to arrange an alternative solution.
Please note, you will be required to sign upon delivery, and the drivers may request a form of identification.
If there is something wrong with your product, we will gladly issue a full refund of 100% of your purchase amount. To process this, please reach out to us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za as soon as possible, and we will guide you through the refund process.
Order Cancellations: If you need to cancel your order, simply email us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za, and we’ll assist you with the cancellation process. Please note, cancellations will incur a small fee of 10%, which covers the transaction fees we incur for processing each order. If your order has already been shipped, please be aware that the shipping fee is non-refundable.
Consignment Orders:
We do not offer consignment stock or consignment deals.
Returns:
If you find that there is an issue with your product, you are eligible to return it to us. Here’s how you can initiate the return:
Exceptions to Returns:
Sale or Special Offer Items: Only regular-priced items are eligible for a refund. Unfortunately, items purchased on sale or as part of a special offer cannot be refunded.
Subscription Terms & Conditions:
By purchasing a Subscription, you agree to recurring automatic payments based on your selected delivery frequency (monthly, every 2 months or every 3 months etc).
Your subscription will automatically renew and your payment method will be charged on the same calendar day as your original purchase until your subscription is cancelled.
Minimum Commitment: Subscription pricing includes a discounted rate and therefore requires a minimum commitment of two (2) deliveries. Cancellation requests will only be accepted after your second subscription box has been successfully delivered.
Cancellation requests must be submitted before your next billing date. If your payment has already been processed, that month's subscription will still be fulfilled and dispatched.
Subscription payments are non-refundable once they have been successfully processed, except where required by applicable South African consumer protection laws.
In the event that a product becomes unavailable, Mothercity Liquor reserves the right to substitute it with a product of equal or greater value.
Customers must be 18 years or older to purchase or receive alcoholic products.
