Okay, I admit it. I am a wine snob. Or at least, I was! In my role as editor of this great publication, I receive offers to sample all sorts of wine and spirits. Inevitably, I have to decide whether the products offered match our editorial theme. And that’s why I nearly declined an offer to sample Aphrodise, a Charmat-process sparkling wine from Greece. However, in a moment of what I considered weakness, I accepted the offer, all the while prejudging the product based on, well, snobbery! I’m so glad I accepted, and just in time for National Rosé Day, June 8th (the second Saturday in June)!

On the surface, Aphrodise looks like an unserious wine. It was developed by Frank Schilling and Gabi Petrylaite, as unlikely a pair of winemakers as you could imagine. Made using the Charmat bulk process from Xinomavro, an ancient but relatively unknown varietal in the USA (despite being one of Greece’s oldest and most noble grapes), and promoted as a light and fruity summer bubbler, I had low expectations. However, I would like to make a formal announcement to Aphrodise: I apologize! Shame on me for not waiting to sample the product before casting judgment!

The bottle looks the part of a quality sparkling wine, replete with a real cork stopper and proper wire cage. It pours with a lovely mousse – the tiny effervescent bubbles that typically indicate a better sparkling wine. The color is a lovely shade of pale rose (the flower as well as the wine), and exuding a lovely aroma of dried strawberry and oak. Despite other reviews, I found the sweetness well-balanced by the fruit and acidity, creating a lovely mouthfeel that is both tart and round. I typically prefer a bone-dry wine, but this wine exhibits a nice balance. I had not expected that!

Intense fruit, including strawberry, cherry, lychee, grapefruit, and dried pineapple, leads the charge, with notes of honeysuckle, lavender, and a hint of fresh rosemary not far behind. Off in the distance, there’s a hint of oaky wood. What Aphrodise lacks in depth, it makes up for in a spectacular balance between fruit and tart.

At $40 retail for a 750ml bottle and $90 for a magnum, it’s not something that I would serve as a daily drinker. But price is the main factor working against this wine (it’s far above other typical Charmat-produced sparklers). I’d recommend many other wines in that price range first. However, if we disregard pricing, Aphrodise is a lovely sparkling rosé that was surprisingly good – far beyond my ex-snobby preconceived notions!