Surprise. Surprise. Sure. The Protea Rosé packaging is gorgeous. The white floral pattern that envelops the entire bottle of soft pink liquid is splendid in its elegance. It creates the feeling of a warm summer day in the south of France. Surprise number one. This wine isn’t from France.
There is so much more to this packaging concept than the beautiful bottle. Note the simplicity of the paper label. It draws little attention. Almost protesting to be included and therefore distracting from the ornate design on the bottle. Why use a label when you could just include the artwork with the screen-printed background? Because the label is intended to be removed. Thereby allowing the bottle to be “upcycled and re-used in as many ways as your imagination allows.” Brilliant eco-friendly strategy. Why recycle if you can reuse?
Where is this wine from? The name is a clue. But only if you’re aware that the Protea is the national flower of South Africa. Yes, South Africa. I don’t generally think of South Africa as a producer of rosé. That was another surprise. I had no idea what to expect from this wine. Beyond mere surprise, it is shockingly good. Very dry with a fresh strawberry undertone that lingers on the palate as it quenches your thirst.
A lovely rosé from South Africa in an elegantly designed, environmentally friendly bottle. Surprised?
