I don’t typically compose a post at the moment of drinking, I mean, of course, tasting a wine, but the day is so damned pleasant — except for the noisy yard work going on to the north and the east; people assume no one is home during the day, I guess — ANYWAY, the afternoon, as I said, is pleasant and I just opened my first rosé wine of the season, though as far as I’m concerned it’s always open season for roses.

The Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese 2009 is from the Mudgee “geographical indication” of New South Wales. Officially, Mudgee is included in the Central Ranges region, along with Cowra and Orange. If you know anything about Australia’s wine geography, Mudgee is inland from Hunter Valley on the east coast. So, this is 100 percent sangiovese, made all in stainless steel. The color is a moderately ruddy copper/salmon; call it angry peach. Irrepressible scents of watermelon, strawberries and orange zest draw you in to meet flavors of nectarine, apricot and dried cranberry given a savory slant by a hint of sage. The wine is quite dry and slightly minerally in the limestone area; bright acidity cools a lovely dense texture that somehow segues into a bit of ripeness on the finish. The wine possesses the heft to accompany antipasti, other sorts of hearty appetizers and hard cheeses. Or take it on a picnic, well-chilled; it’s closed with a screw-cap, so it doesn’t matter of you forget the corkscrew. The alcohol content is a comfortable 12.8 percent; whoa, is that my third glass? Just kidding! Very Good+. About $15.

Imported by Robert Oatley Vineyards, Petaluma, Ca. A sample for review.