There is no doubt about it - Rosé is so hot right now! It is in 40% growth in recent years & has transcended both the gender & seasonal barriers, once upon a time women drank rosé in summer. How times have changed....now real men drink Pink, there's even a Brosé movement
Rosé is a bit unique in that it’s not a varietal of wine per se – it’s a style. It’s usually lumped in with the white wines but it’s actually made red grape, you can make from any red grape you just “leave on skins”. This just means that the grapes are left for a little while longer with the skins attached before having the juice pressed out. Usually, the longer it's left the deeper the pink colour will be.
As mentioned you can make Rosé from any red grape but In NZ our Rosé tends to be predominantly Pinot Noir, so the most common aromas you will smell in an NZ Rosé are strawberries & cream or roses. Yum!
European (or Old World) rosés tend to be bone dry and floral and New World rosés (AKA us in NZ) are usually less dry & more fruit forward.
Rosé is not a wine to cellar or keep, it's a drink now wine, it's fun, it's summer in a glass and here are the rosés that I think you should drink RIGHT NOW!
Wither Hills Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 made from Marlborough Pinot Noir, you just can't go wrong with Wither Hills, consistently good wines, widely available at an excellent price point - this wine is no exception. A beautiful mouthwatering pink clour with a delightfully dry and refreshing and fruity strawberries and cream style. Buy at least one at the supermarket for $18/$15 on special and eat with platters of hummus, olives, crackers & cheese and a gaggle of mates.
Two Rivers “Isle of Beauty” Rosé 2017 is another Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé is firstly the most beautiful bottle of Rosé I have seen in quite a while, tall, thin, elegant with a beautifully dappled punt (the dent thing in the bottom of a bottle of wine) that makes it look like a glass strawberry in the bottom of the bottle. Gorgeous. The wine most definitely lives up to the quality of the bottle it comes in. This is definitely a European style of Rosé which makes a great deal of sense as the winemaker David Clouston spent 3 vintages making wine in Corsica, (known as the "Isle Of Beauty) apparently he tried making NZ styles of wine & almost got run off the island - but that's a story for another time! This rosé is vibrant salmon in colour and quite simply a joy to drink. This wine should definitely be paired with traditional Mediterranean food like Tapas in the sunshine and is available for $25/$20 on special
Terra Sancta Rose 2017 is the only Central Otago Pinot Noir and it is definitely something special. It has that typical Otago scents of stone fruit & berries that we know and love and it just fills the mouth with flavour (and happiness). The Terra Sancta vines are some of the oldest in Bannockburn & as I've said before "Old Vines Make Great Wines" (you can quote me). This rosé is darker and it is one that I would be more likely to eat with and I will drink rosé with pretty much any meal (well almost) so this one suits me as this wine will go pretty well with almost anything too. It can even stand up to something as flavourful as lamb but I think this with roast chicken served out of the deck with some friends around? Yaaaaas!!! You will get this wine for $28/$25 on special.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great Rosé in NZ, we are absolutely spoiled for choice, and as far as I'm concerned you shouldn't be spending more than $25.
So that's that sorted now all we need is some sunshine.....(please..?)